Kim Sang-jun (pseudonym, 24), who enjoys Instagram online, received a follow from a woman after posting a photo. Although he didn't know who the woman was, since she was already following some of Kim's acquaintances, Kim followed her back without any suspicion. The conversation began when the woman messaged first, asking, "What's your relationship with the mutual friends you're following?" Although the woman didn't answer the question directly, they moved on. In just a few days, they quickly became intimate, and at some point, the woman suggested switching to 'Line' for conversation, providing her ID. Through Line, they had deeper conversations, including sexual ones. They even engaged in body cam sessions, showing parts of their bodies. At one point, the woman sent an application (.apk) file, claiming it was necessary for better video quality. Without much thought, Kim installed it. However, he soon became alarmed by the subsequent messages. "If you don't deposit 1 million won into this account, I'll distribute this video to your family and friends."
This is a case reported to Monthly JoongAng a month ago. It's a typical example of the recent phenomenon of "body cam phishing" crimes that have become problematic. Lately, body cam phishing crimes have been rampant targeting men in their twenties. According to the National Police Agency, the number of body cam phishing crimes reported in 2022 totaled 4,313, which is three times more than in 2018 (1,406 cases). Approximately 40% (1,723 cases) of the victims of body cam phishing crimes in 2022 were in their twenties.
"Alluring SNS photos are all fake anyway."
"If you end up sending money, you'll just be subjected to more threats. If you've already fallen victim to body cam phishing crimes, collect evidence and report it to the investigative authorities," advised Lawyer Song Ji-won (29, Law Firm Sayoo). Lawyer Song is well-versed in messenger crimes to the extent that he represents group lawsuits for romance scam victims.
Body cam phishing crimes predominantly target men in their twenties. What do you think is the cause?
"Generation in their 20s and 30s find it comfortable to use the internet and meet people online. They are accustomed to the dating app culture connecting them with potential partners, so they don't seem to be too cautious about approaching strangers through social networking services (SNS). When victims meet them, they often react with statements like, 'I had a conversation with them and found them trustworthy,' or 'Since their SNS account has regular photos, they can't be scammers.'"
Isn't that something perpetrators take advantage of?
"Yes, indeed. In fact, all the photos posted on the perpetrators' SNS accounts in body cam phishing crimes are stolen. Whether it's photos of dining at a brunch café or having fun at Han River Park or a pool party, they've all been taken from others to appear credible."
Even if a follow request comes from such a woman, it seems prudent to be cautious at first.
"By then, you could consider that you've already crossed halfway. When trust is established through conversation, perpetrators lure victims into third-party messenger apps like KakaoTalk or Line. Many victims, eager to develop a more intimate relationship, readily accept. Since they're already open-minded, if the other party suggests sharing sexual videos through body cams, they're likely to accept it easily. During this process, the perpetrator gives various reasons like 'the sound isn't clear' or 'let's improve the video quality' to persuade the victim to install the app. This stage is where body cam phishing crimes occur."
It's understood that installing such malicious apps can lead to the theft of all personal information.
"Typically, when installing an app, permission settings are required. Through these malicious apps, perpetrators gain access to the victim's phone, including photos, media files, location, call logs, contacts, camera, microphone, and even credit card information. There have been cases where perpetrators threatened to share the victim's videos with all the contacts they acquired."
There are cases where such malicious apps are disguised as games to deceive users, right?
"There are organizations that develop relatively simple games like puzzle games. They encourage victims to install the game during conversation and then proceed to steal all their personal information."
What if one refuses to install the app?
"If the intimate video has already been shared, it's considered too late. There have been cases where perpetrators threatened to spread the video to dozens or hundreds of accounts followed by the victim on Instagram."
How much do they typically demand?
"Typically, perpetrators demand amounts ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of won."
"Each case varies, but generally, threats come in around 1 to 2 million won. Of course, it never stops at one threat. However, if the initial demand is too high, the victim might feel hopeless, so the perpetrators initially demand an amount the victim can afford."
Is it to give the victim a taste of hope that they can resolve the situation?
"That could be expressed that way. However, threats always lead to further threats. There have been cases where victims paid up to 100 million won after enduring around ten threats."
Teens or early 20s college students might not have the means to pay immediately, right?
"Unfortunately, there are even middle school students who succumb to extreme choices due to the pressure of threats."
If there's no more money to extort, do they distribute the video?
"That's why there's no need to comply with threats from the beginning. The demand not to distribute the video in exchange for money is a threat, not a promise. Once something happens, it's best to head to the investigative authorities or a lawyer's office to expose the facts."
I've heard that in cases where the victim doesn't have the financial means, they're used as cash couriers.
"Phishing crime organizations use dummy accounts. That's why they employ cash couriers who withdraw money from ATMs. These individuals are the most exposed members, making them the most likely to be caught by the police. Hence, they assign high-risk tasks to victims. Typically, their superiors operate overseas, making it difficult to apprehend them."
Is it realistically possible to recover monetary damages?
"It's difficult. As mentioned, the majority of the suspects are couriers like cash couriers."
What are the penalties for participating in body cam phishing crimes?
"The crime of coercion using recorded material under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act applies. It was newly established after the 'nth Room' case, and it carries a sentence of at least one year imprisonment with no fine. If they demanded further indecent material or more photos or videos, it could also constitute coercion using recordings. Furthermore, if personal information is stolen through malicious apps, it's also a violation of the Information and Communication Network Act."
Can you tell us about prevention methods and post-incident responses to body cam phishing?
"In principle, not trusting strangers online is crucial. Never click on links sent by unfamiliar individuals, and never install or open files from them. However, if you're already a victim, early response is crucial. Even if the golden time for case resolution is extended, if it's within a day or two, collecting the perpetrator's contact information, conversation history, account numbers, etc., and promptly visiting the police station or a lawyer's office is the best course of action."
Article by Ahn Deok-kwan, Monthly JoongAng Reporter, ahn.deokkwan@joongang.co.kr
Photo by Jimmy Yeon, Reporter, agadis@hanmail.net
[Source: Monthly JoongAng June 2023 Issue https://jmagazine.joins.com/monthly/view/337995]
Kim Sang-jun (pseudonym, 24), who enjoys Instagram online, received a follow from a woman after posting a photo. Although he didn't know who the woman was, since she was already following some of Kim's acquaintances, Kim followed her back without any suspicion. The conversation began when the woman messaged first, asking, "What's your relationship with the mutual friends you're following?" Although the woman didn't answer the question directly, they moved on. In just a few days, they quickly became intimate, and at some point, the woman suggested switching to 'Line' for conversation, providing her ID. Through Line, they had deeper conversations, including sexual ones. They even engaged in body cam sessions, showing parts of their bodies. At one point, the woman sent an application (.apk) file, claiming it was necessary for better video quality. Without much thought, Kim installed it. However, he soon became alarmed by the subsequent messages. "If you don't deposit 1 million won into this account, I'll distribute this video to your family and friends."
This is a case reported to Monthly JoongAng a month ago. It's a typical example of the recent phenomenon of "body cam phishing" crimes that have become problematic. Lately, body cam phishing crimes have been rampant targeting men in their twenties. According to the National Police Agency, the number of body cam phishing crimes reported in 2022 totaled 4,313, which is three times more than in 2018 (1,406 cases). Approximately 40% (1,723 cases) of the victims of body cam phishing crimes in 2022 were in their twenties.
"Alluring SNS photos are all fake anyway."
"If you end up sending money, you'll just be subjected to more threats. If you've already fallen victim to body cam phishing crimes, collect evidence and report it to the investigative authorities," advised Lawyer Song Ji-won (29, Law Firm Sayoo). Lawyer Song is well-versed in messenger crimes to the extent that he represents group lawsuits for romance scam victims.
Body cam phishing crimes predominantly target men in their twenties. What do you think is the cause?
"Generation in their 20s and 30s find it comfortable to use the internet and meet people online. They are accustomed to the dating app culture connecting them with potential partners, so they don't seem to be too cautious about approaching strangers through social networking services (SNS). When victims meet them, they often react with statements like, 'I had a conversation with them and found them trustworthy,' or 'Since their SNS account has regular photos, they can't be scammers.'"
Isn't that something perpetrators take advantage of?
"Yes, indeed. In fact, all the photos posted on the perpetrators' SNS accounts in body cam phishing crimes are stolen. Whether it's photos of dining at a brunch café or having fun at Han River Park or a pool party, they've all been taken from others to appear credible."
Even if a follow request comes from such a woman, it seems prudent to be cautious at first.
"By then, you could consider that you've already crossed halfway. When trust is established through conversation, perpetrators lure victims into third-party messenger apps like KakaoTalk or Line. Many victims, eager to develop a more intimate relationship, readily accept. Since they're already open-minded, if the other party suggests sharing sexual videos through body cams, they're likely to accept it easily. During this process, the perpetrator gives various reasons like 'the sound isn't clear' or 'let's improve the video quality' to persuade the victim to install the app. This stage is where body cam phishing crimes occur."
It's understood that installing such malicious apps can lead to the theft of all personal information.
"Typically, when installing an app, permission settings are required. Through these malicious apps, perpetrators gain access to the victim's phone, including photos, media files, location, call logs, contacts, camera, microphone, and even credit card information. There have been cases where perpetrators threatened to share the victim's videos with all the contacts they acquired."
There are cases where such malicious apps are disguised as games to deceive users, right?
"There are organizations that develop relatively simple games like puzzle games. They encourage victims to install the game during conversation and then proceed to steal all their personal information."
What if one refuses to install the app?
"If the intimate video has already been shared, it's considered too late. There have been cases where perpetrators threatened to spread the video to dozens or hundreds of accounts followed by the victim on Instagram."
How much do they typically demand?
"Typically, perpetrators demand amounts ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of won."
"Each case varies, but generally, threats come in around 1 to 2 million won. Of course, it never stops at one threat. However, if the initial demand is too high, the victim might feel hopeless, so the perpetrators initially demand an amount the victim can afford."
Is it to give the victim a taste of hope that they can resolve the situation?
"That could be expressed that way. However, threats always lead to further threats. There have been cases where victims paid up to 100 million won after enduring around ten threats."
Teens or early 20s college students might not have the means to pay immediately, right?
"Unfortunately, there are even middle school students who succumb to extreme choices due to the pressure of threats."
If there's no more money to extort, do they distribute the video?
"That's why there's no need to comply with threats from the beginning. The demand not to distribute the video in exchange for money is a threat, not a promise. Once something happens, it's best to head to the investigative authorities or a lawyer's office to expose the facts."
I've heard that in cases where the victim doesn't have the financial means, they're used as cash couriers.
"Phishing crime organizations use dummy accounts. That's why they employ cash couriers who withdraw money from ATMs. These individuals are the most exposed members, making them the most likely to be caught by the police. Hence, they assign high-risk tasks to victims. Typically, their superiors operate overseas, making it difficult to apprehend them."
Is it realistically possible to recover monetary damages?
"It's difficult. As mentioned, the majority of the suspects are couriers like cash couriers."
What are the penalties for participating in body cam phishing crimes?
"The crime of coercion using recorded material under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act applies. It was newly established after the 'nth Room' case, and it carries a sentence of at least one year imprisonment with no fine. If they demanded further indecent material or more photos or videos, it could also constitute coercion using recordings. Furthermore, if personal information is stolen through malicious apps, it's also a violation of the Information and Communication Network Act."
Can you tell us about prevention methods and post-incident responses to body cam phishing?
"In principle, not trusting strangers online is crucial. Never click on links sent by unfamiliar individuals, and never install or open files from them. However, if you're already a victim, early response is crucial. Even if the golden time for case resolution is extended, if it's within a day or two, collecting the perpetrator's contact information, conversation history, account numbers, etc., and promptly visiting the police station or a lawyer's office is the best course of action."
Article by Ahn Deok-kwan, Monthly JoongAng Reporter, ahn.deokkwan@joongang.co.kr
Photo by Jimmy Yeon, Reporter, agadis@hanmail.net
[Source: Monthly JoongAng June 2023 Issue https://jmagazine.joins.com/monthly/view/337995]