Smart Bank Teller Saves Woman from Romance Scam Worth 27 Million Won

A police badge on display [YONHAP]

A woman in her seventies came dangerously close to losing a hefty sum of 27 million won (approximately $19,400) to an online scammer posing as a U.S. service member. Thankfully, a perceptive bank teller along with local police stepped in right on time, as reported on Sunday.

It all started when the Seoul Metropolitan Police’s Mobile Patrol Division got a call around 9 a.m. on September 8 from a bank in the southern part of Seoul’s Geumcheon District. A concerned teller had noticed strange conduct from a customer trying to wire money overseas, suspecting something was amiss.

The woman had been exchanging messages on social media with a fraudster who claimed he was about to leave the U.S. military and wanted to come to Korea to marry her. He played on her emotions, repeatedly asking for cash to cover shipping and travel expenses.

Living alone and driven by affection, she visited the bank to transfer the money. Fortunately, the teller was sharp enough to recognize the signs and alerted the police about the suspicious situation.

Once officers arrived, they quickly figured out that the woman was falling prey to a romance scam. At first, she was resistant, questioning, “Why are you interrupting my plan to send money to my boyfriend?”

Realizing the urgency of the matter, the police spent around three hours explaining the workings of romance scams and sharing examples of similar situations. Ultimately, they managed to convince her not to proceed with the money transfer.

These types of scams usually involve scammers building trust over weeks or months through online conversations before requesting money under the guise of fake investments, shipping expenditures, or personal emergencies.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official remarked, “Our close cooperation with financial firms and active foot patrols were key in stopping this crime at such an early stage. Scammers often try to earn victims’ trust by pretending to be foreigners, which paves the way for requests for payments.”

This article was initially written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter, aided by generative AI tools, and further edited by a native English speaker. All AI-assisted translations undergo thorough reviews and refinements by our editorial team.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]