Scams targeting foreigners rise nearly 4-fold over 2 years: lawmaker (opens original article in a new tab)

Scams targeting foreigners in South Korea rose nearly fourfold over two years, with increased cases linked to K-pop fans and a surge in foreign tourists.

• The number of foreign victims of fraud in South Korea nearly quadrupled from 5,307 in 2023 to 19,907 in 2024
• Scams targeting K-pop fans increased, with scammers offering merchandise and disappearing after receiving money
• Foreign crime victims rose 81.7% over two years, coinciding with a 71.7% increase in foreign tourists