According to Yonhap News on June 25, the victim, identified as Mr. A, received investment advice from a woman claiming to be living in Taiwan earlier this month. He took out a loan to invest 170 million won in cryptocurrency based on her recommendation.
The woman reportedly approached Mr. A, promising that investing in a coin at its initial stage would yield returns of over 600%. She continuously urged him to invest, emphasizing the potential for high profits. Trusting her, Mr. A secured funds through a loan to make the investment.
Initially, the trading platform displayed a significant increase in the coin's value, suggesting substantial profits. However, when Mr. A attempted to withdraw his investment, including the supposed profits, the platform demanded an additional payment of over 50 million won for withdrawal fees and account verification costs. Mr. A was informed that without this additional payment, he could not withdraw his funds. Ultimately, he was unable to recover his investment and suspected he had been scammed, leading him to file a complaint with the police.
The police view this as a case of a 'romance scam,' where the perpetrator builds a relationship with the victim through social media before luring them to a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment site. They have begun tracking related accounts and suspects.
A representative from the Yeonje Police Station stated, "We have completed the victim's interview and, considering the scale of the losses, we plan to transfer the case to the Busan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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