Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, is being impersonated in a so-called 'no show' scam occurring across the country. The police urged self-employed individuals to be cautious to avoid falling victim.
According to police on the 21st, the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station has received a complaint from restaurant owner A, who suffered damage from the no show scam, and is verifying the facts. A received a reservation call on the 17th from individuals related to the candidate's presidential campaign, indicating they would be coming for dinner the next evening. A believed that the candidate would dine after attending the 5.18 memorial ceremony.
However, the person who made the reservation informed A that if they prepared a specific expensive liquor the candidate wanted instead, they would pay. They provided A with an account number for a specific company. Believing this, A sent 24 million won. But then the reservation maker called back and said, 'I have another engagement, so I'll cancel the reservation. I will send the expense,' before cutting off contact.
Restaurant owner B, who operates a restaurant in Osong-eup, Cheongju, received a call on the 17th from a man who introduced himself as Lee Seung-ho, a publicity advisor for the Democratic Party of Korea. The man asked B to make a reservation for 25 people at 7 p.m. on the 19th.
He then called again, saying, 'Lee Jae-myung and members of the National Assembly are scheduled to visit,' and requested B to prepare the whiskey the candidate usually drinks, along with Maotai liquor, which is an expensive Chinese spirit. He provided the contact information of a liquor distributor. A felt that this situation was suspicious and confirmed the facts with the Democratic Party of Korea's Cheongbuk chapter to avoid any damage.
In Jeju, someone who introduced himself as the publicity director of the Democratic Party called a sashimi restaurant on the 17th, claiming that '20 Democratic Party officials will visit at 7 p.m. on the 19th' and made a reservation. He then asked to buy four bottles of liquor in advance, claiming he would introduce a seller he knows well. The restaurant owner sent 6.6 million won to the liquor vendor's account, but the reservation maker later became unreachable.
The election task force of the Democratic Party of Korea's Jeju chapter has reported the four no show case reservation makers who impersonated Democratic Party officials on that day to the police, citing charges of fraud, obstruction of business, and defamation. Kim Han-kyu, the Democratic Party's Jeju chapter chairman, noted, 'This is an attempt to damage the image of candidate Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party.'
Due to the 'no show scam,' the Democratic Party has not launched a presidential fund to raise campaign funds and has taken out loans from banks. Kim Yoon-deok, the secretary general of the party's central election committee, stated in a briefing on the 19th, 'In the unlikely event that someone impersonates the Democratic Party to raise funds and extorts money, it could become a serious problem.'
The police have designated the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit of the Gangwon Provincial Police as the main agency for investigating related incidents of the no show scam. According to the police, the no show scam is being conducted from call centers located in Southeast Asia. The scams impersonating political parties are similar in nature to those impersonating celebrities or public officials.
A police official noted, 'A secondary order to buy other items that the company does not handle is a typical form of the no show scam,' recommending that individuals should firmly refuse such requests. He added, 'If large orders come in via cellphone, do not verify with the phone number that contacted you; instead, confirm directly with the relevant public institution or office.'