Police officer saves victims while investigating scam in Cambodia

A Busan police officer who traveled to Cambodia at his own expense to investigate a voice phishing scam site rescued two victims he happened to encounter during his round-trip flights, authorities said.

According to Busan Seobu Police Station on Sept. 22, Investigation Department Chief Oh Young-hoon, 56, visited Phnom Penh from Aug. 21 to 24 at his own expense. He went there to verify the location of an investment scam ring under investigation. With no clear evidence to justify an official business trip, he still wanted to observe firsthand how the scams operated in Southeast Asia.

The first rescue took place immediately after Oh arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport. The police consulate had sent an urgent text and a photo requesting help locating a man in his 20s who was about to join the voice phishing organization. The man’s parents reported that their intellectually disabled son had been lured to Cambodia with promises of employment. By coincidence, he was seated next to Chief Oh on the plane. Oh monitored him until leaving the airport and apprehended him the moment he entered the arrivals hall, handing him over to the police consulate.

On the return flight, at the request of the consulate, Oh also assisted a man in his 30s who had been captured by the scam organization but managed to escape. The man told Oh he had been held and beaten for a week because he could not withdraw the fraudulent proceeds deposited into his account. Oh accompanied him on the plane to reassure him, and upon arriving at Incheon International Airport, he safely returned the distressed man to his family.

Chief Oh began anti-voice phishing activities four years ago after receiving a scam call himself. He has operated a YouTube channel producing prevention videos, and last year he joined a joint investigation team that arrested dozens of scam organization members. “The government needs to collaborate with Southeast Asian countries and deploy interpreters on the ground to prevent young people from falling victim to these schemes,” Oh said.


김화영 기자 run@donga.com