South Korea issues holiday smishing warning

Authorities in South Korea have issued a warning regarding an increase in smishing attempts ahead of the Chuseok holiday. Scammers are using deceptive text messages regarding holiday subsidies, gift deliveries, and special events to trick individuals into clicking malicious URLs.

These messages often aim to steal personal and financial information or induce the installation of malicious apps that allow remote control of smartphones. The Korea Communications Commission, in collaboration with the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), has requested telecommunications companies and device manufacturers like Samsung Electronics to strengthen intelligent spam filtering.

Experts advise that legitimate service notifications rarely request unnecessary personal information or account numbers via external links. If a user suspects a message is fraudulent, they can verify its authenticity through the KakaoTalk ‘Bohonara’ channel or report it via the ‘Illegal Spam Easy Report’ app. To prevent damage, users are encouraged to activate automatic security blocking features on their mobile devices.