South Korea's postal authorities are moving to counter "letter phishing," a scam in which criminals post forged mail delivery notices to steal personal information. The Korea Post, an agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT, said it will redesign the notice form and step up public awareness campaigns to block phishing crimes that use counterfeit delivery slips. Victims who fall for the fake notices can lose tens of millions of won.
According to the Korean National Police Agency and other authorities, scammers attach fake mail delivery notices to front doors or mailboxes and wait for victims to call the number printed on them. The notices are designed to resemble genuine post office documents. When a victim calls, the scammer poses as a letter carrier and offers to connect the caller to "the officer in charge," providing a second phone number. The next person impersonates a prosecutor or other law enforcement official and tells the victim that their identity or bank account has been linked to a crime, then instructs them to install a malicious application. The scammers then demand cash, gift certificates or cryptocurrency.
After a series of reports about the forged notices, the Korea Post said on the 21st that it had begun implementing countermeasures, including changes to the notice form and prevention campaigns. Since reports first came in on the 12th, the agency has added a line to the form stating that the post office does not ask for resident registration numbers or bank account details. It has also sent local post offices procedures for handling suspected forgeries and distributed phishing warning materials to management offices at apartment complexes and other multi-unit buildings.
By the end of this year, the agency plans to print a semi-transparent logo on the notices so recipients can easily verify their authenticity. It said it would promptly notify the public if any phishing damage occurs or is confirmed, and immediately prepare additional measures.
The Korea Post urged anyone who suspects a notice has been forged or altered to contact its customer service center or a nearby post office to check whether mail is actually being delivered.
"The QR code on a mail delivery notice collects no personal information other than the recipient's contact details, which are provided with the person's consent," said Park In-hwan, head of the Korea Post. "If you are asked for any other personal information, suspect phishing and report it immediately to the post office or the police."