Officials warn public as scams grow more sophisticated due to AI
Published: 23 Nov. 2025, 18:52
![Police stop a man during a patrol in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, on Nov. 6. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/23/4c7e8ef1-960a-49dc-b240-dbb4a1f6123f.jpg)
Police stop a man during a patrol in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, on Nov. 6. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE]
Officials are urging the public to be more cautious as technological advancements in AI, especially deepfake video and audio, make it easier for people to be fooled by so-called “romance scammers.”
A man was walking in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, on Nov. 6, staring at his phone and appearing disoriented. A patrol officer stopped him and asked if he needed help. He explained that he had been chatting with a woman whom he met “through a mobile app two months ago.” She claimed to live abroad, and after weeks of flirtatious exchanges, she asked him to send 20 million won ($13,500) so she could travel to Korea.
Recognizing signs of a romance scam, the officer intervened and prevented the man from transferring money.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency describes this case as textbook scam behavior: The scammer used a photo of a woman appearing to be in her 20s, conversed with their victim affectionately to establish an emotional connection, then made financial demands.
According to data submitted to People Power Party lawmaker Song Seog-jun by the National Police Agency, between February 2024 and July of this year, police recorded 2,428 romance scam cases resulting in approximately 138 billion won ($94 million) in losses. Compared to the same period between 2023 and 2024, reported cases rose by 34.7 percent, and financial damages increased by 30.2 percent.
![A suspect extradited from Cambodia enters a courtroom at the Daejeon District Court’s Hongseong Branch in South Chungcheong for a pretrial detention hearing on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/23/b4703a57-684e-4308-b400-2ac17aeaafdd.jpg)
A suspect extradited from Cambodia enters a courtroom at the Daejeon District Court’s Hongseong Branch in South Chungcheong for a pretrial detention hearing on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]
Authorities recently extradited a large group of romance scam operators based in Cambodia, but experts say that such fraud remains widespread.
A worker in Seoul said that they recently received a suspicious message on social media from a stranger, who suggested that they become “friends” and promised that they would have “fun.”
“The photo and language felt off, so I realized it was a scam and blocked the person,” the worker said. “But people unfamiliar with social media could easily fall for it.”
Romance scams are growing more sophisticated by the day as social media platforms and AI continue to become more interconnected and integrated into people's daily lives. Nick Court, the director of Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, recently told the JoongAng Ilbo that romance scams are also evolving into large-scale cryptocurrency investment scams.
Experts warn that public awareness of romance scams lags behind that of voice phishing, a growing threat.
“Even though the police and government continue to raise awareness, many people don’t recognize when something is a scam,” said Park Mi-rang, a professor of police science at Hannam University. “Some victims view the experience as a personal romantic failure rather than fraud, which can prevent them from reporting it. And education needs to be more targeted toward older adults, who are particularly vulnerable to online scams via social media.”
A police official familiar with romance scam investigations noted that they tend to follow a predictable pattern.
“If someone you meet on social media asks for money or suggests an investment, it is very likely a scam and should always be treated with suspicion,” the police official said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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