[Exclusive] "Trust me and invest"... 'Romance Scam' Group in Cambodia Arrested

Nine Koreans Arrested, Including Two Wanted Persons

National Police Agency "Pushing for Repatriation Within Two Months"

Unlike the Past When Cash Deposits Were Requested

Encouraging Investment in Fake Cryptocurrencies 'Extortion'

A Korean criminal organization involved in 'romance scams' and 'coin investment fraud' based in Cambodia has been arrested en masse by local police. The National Police Agency plans to negotiate with Cambodian authorities to repatriate them to Korea.

According to the National Police Agency on the 11th, nine Koreans were arrested by local police in a crime complex in Poipet, Cambodia, on the 3rd. The leaders of the organization are Mr. Kang (31) and Mr. Ahn (28). They are on Interpol's red notice list and have been pursued by the Ulsan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit.

The organization set up an illegal call center equipped with burner phones and computers in the crime complex last December and has been conducting romance scams since last month. They created fake profiles, joined dating apps, and engaged in daily conversations with victims to build intimacy before luring them to a fake coin investment website. It is estimated that they extorted tens of millions of won in just one month using this method. While traditional romance scams involved requests for living expenses, delivery fees, or airfare, the police believe they have recently evolved into cryptocurrency and stock investment fraud.

Baek Won-jin, Consul at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Cambodia, explained, "Typically, when a Korean is arrested, they are investigated in detention for 1-2 months before being deported." Cambodian police are analyzing the nine confiscated computers and mobile phones to investigate the specific methods of the crime. A representative from the Interpol Cooperation Division of the National Police Agency stated, "After the local investigation is completed, we will proceed with the repatriation process."

The National Police Agency considers Cambodia to be a new hub for scammers and has designated it as a country to be cautious of. There have been repeated cases of Koreans being employed in Cambodian crime complexes after seeing false job postings online, only to find themselves working in captivity. A man in his 20s, Mr. A, who worked in the Poipet crime complex, said, "An acquaintance I met on Telegram deceived me by saying I could earn over 10 million won a month with coin-related work," adding, "They explained it wasn't illegal, but it turned out to be all lies."

A police official said, "The scam group arrested this time also appears to have recruited employees through employment fraud," emphasizing, "Job seekers need to be particularly cautious."

Kim Da-bin, reporter davinci@hankyung.com