KB Financial Group, Agriculture Ministry launch Season 2 of mobile voice phishing prevention program

KB Financial Group and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Friday they are rolling out Season 2 of a mobile voice phishing prevention education program across 15 cities and counties nationwide, aimed at protecting elderly residents in rural communities from phone fraud.

The initiative combines the ministry's existing college student rural volunteer program with KB Financial Group's financial fraud prevention content and its KB Good Food Truck, forming a public-private-academic collaboration.

KB Financial Group and the ministry successfully ran Season 1 across five cities and counties last year. Encouraged by positive responses from local residents, they expanded the program to 15 cities and counties this year.

This year's sessions kicked off Thursday in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, and will continue in rural communities across the country. Educators visit communities directly to share the latest voice phishing cases and tips on how to respond, with the program expected to help close gaps in financial safety awareness.

KB Financial Group also works with the Korean National Police Agency and the Credit Counseling and Recovery Service to provide credit and psychological counseling for voice phishing victims, offering broad support covering prevention, recovery and rehabilitation.

"As voice phishing tactics grow increasingly sophisticated, protecting elderly residents in areas with limited access to financial safety information is becoming ever more critical," a KB Financial Group official said. "We will continue to bring financial safety education directly to local communities."