NH NongHyup Bank Pungam-dong branch employee's quick thinking blocks fraud
Gwangju Seobu Police Station's Geumho district unit presents letter of appreciation
The Geumho district police unit of Gwangju Seobu Police Station, led by Chief Jeon Seong-il, presented a letter of appreciation Thursday to Hong Seung-hee, an employee at the NH NongHyup Bank Pungam-dong branch, for her decisive role in preventing a voice phishing crime.
On June 17, Hong grew suspicious when an elderly customer attempted to withdraw 200 million won ($129,000) in cash and checks, purportedly to pay for an apartment purchase. She immediately alerted police. Officers from the Geumho district unit rushed to the scene, confirmed the circumstances and determined it was a voice phishing attempt, preventing the customer from losing the full 200 million won.
The case has been recognized as a model example of civilian-police cooperation, driven by a bank employee's sharp judgment and prompt reporting combined with a swift police response.
Gwangju Seobu Police Station chief Jeon Byeong-hyeon thanked Hong for her sense of responsibility and courage in protecting a citizen's assets through her proactive report. "We will continue to work closely with financial institutions to do our utmost in preventing voice phishing and other crimes that threaten people's livelihoods," he said.
sij@heraldcorp.com
