South Korean police dismantle Cambodia-linked dummy bank account fraud ring

South Korean authorities arrested six members and sent 14 suspects to prosecution for operating a fraud network that lured job seekers with promises of high earnings and airline tickets. The perpetrators flew the victims to Cambodia, where they were confined in a Siem Reap-area lodging for two to six weeks and subjected to intimidation, assault and torture to obtain “dummy” bank accounts—known locally as daepo accounts—used by voice‑phishing groups. The stolen accounts were sold for up to 20 million won each. The ring’s leader paid team members a monthly stipend of 2‑4 million won and offered 1‑2 million won incentives for recruiting additional account holders. They also prepared scripts for account owners to call banks and request the release of blocked transactions, aiming to evade detection by financial monitoring systems. Police have issued Interpol red notices and passport cancellations for two remaining suspects believed to be in Cambodia, while continuing investigations into overseas phishing operations.

The case highlights cross‑border criminal cooperation and the risks of recruitment scams that exploit promising overseas employment offers.