Vancouver, Canada - Recently, phone and email scams impersonating embassies and consulates have been occurring across North America. This phishing crime first appeared in the United States and has recently spread across Canada.
In Vancouver, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea issued a safety notice on its website on March 12, during which three phishing attempts were confirmed within just one day.
The method of operation involves displaying the consulate's telephone number as the caller ID to reassure victims. Scammers impersonate the name of consulate or embassy staff and claim to need cooperation from the Korean police, the prosecution, or the National Tax Service as a pretext for requesting personal information.
The Consulate General of Vancouver emphasized that Korean and Canadian public institutions do not verify or request personal information via telephone or online. Therefore, individuals should never respond to such requests. Even if you believe the situation is reliable, you should hang up and check with the relevant institution directly.
In addition, if you have experienced telephone, communication, or financial fraud impersonating a diplomatic mission in South Korea, you should report it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Consular Call Center (+82-2-3210-0404) or the Consulate General of South Korea in Vancouver (604-681-9581). If you have been a victim, we recommend you report it to the local police or the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security as soon as possible.
