5 Million South Koreans Fight Back Against Smishing Scams
Over 5 million South Koreans have signed up for a service that blocks scammers from sending fake text messages using their phone numbers. This surge in subscriptions follows a rise in smishing incidents, where criminals impersonate acquaintances to trick victims.
The service, offered by telecommunications companies, works by registering users' numbers with the Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA). This blocks any computer-generated text messages that falsely appear to come from those numbers. In 2024, there were 363,622 smishing cases where the perpetrator had impersonated an acquaintance of the victim.
The number of people using this protective service has significantly increased in recent months. From around 100,000 subscribers in 2023, the figure has risen to over 5 million as of August 2024. This growth follows massive hacking incidents targeting Korea's two largest telecom companies.
Over 5 million South Koreans have now signed up for the service, indicating a strong demand for protection against smishing attacks. The service, provided by telecommunications companies, is proving effective in blocking fake text messages sent via computer.
