🚨 Setup Crime

Today Korean Social News for Beginners | 2025.08.09

0️⃣ New Fraud Method That Extorts Money by Creating Fake Situations

📌 'Setup Crime' Gang Extorts Hundreds of Millions Using Golf Trips as Bait...Organization Expands Overseas

💬 A criminal gang that lured wealthy people overseas, staged underage prostitution, and extorted hundreds of millions of won by offering to cover up the incident has been arrested by police. The main culprit built relationships with victims, suggested trips, and then staged pre-planned scenarios overseas to frighten victims and demand money. Victims were reluctant to report due to fear of criminal punishment, and the case only came to light later through similar crime reports. Police are treating this case as a typical method of 'setup crime' and have classified it as planned fraud and extortion. This new type of fraud shows sophisticated characteristics that make reporting difficult by exploiting victims' psychology.

💡 Summary

• Setup crime is fraud that creates fake criminal situations for people with no intention of committing crimes to extort money.
• It makes victims appear involved in illegal activities and exploits their fear of punishment.
• A typical example is using golf trips as bait to stage fake prostitution situations overseas.

1️⃣ Definition

Setup Crime refers to a new type of fraud that creates fake criminal situations for people with no intention of committing crimes and extorts money using this as leverage. 'Setup' means 'to prepare in advance' or 'to lay a trap', referring to crimes that intentionally trap victims to gain financial benefits.

Unlike traditional fraud, this is characterized by making victims believe they have committed crimes themselves, applying psychological pressure. It is a vicious type of crime that exploits victims' fear and shame to prevent reporting and continuously demands money.

💡 Why is this important?

• It cleverly exploits victims' psychological weaknesses to sustain damage over long periods.
• Victims think they are also criminals and are reluctant to report, creating a strong crime concealment effect.
• It is organized and planned, resulting in very large damage amounts.
• As a new fraud method, urgent countermeasures are needed.

2️⃣ Main Methods and Characteristics of Setup Crime

📕 Representative Crime Methods

• The trust-building stage is key. Main processes include:

  • Criminals first invest considerable time in building relationships with wealthy victims.
  • They approach naturally through golf or business meetings to gain trust.
  • They identify victims' hobbies and interests to prepare customized bait.
  • They lure victims with plausible purposes like overseas golf trips or business meetings.

• They stage sophisticated fake situations. Main characteristics include:

  • They manipulate situations according to pre-planned scenarios.
  • They arrange various roles including fake minors, fake investigators, and fake lawyers.
  • They create realistic staging that makes victims believe they actually committed crimes.
  • They threaten serious punishment by mentioning local laws.

📕 Victim Psychology Manipulation Techniques

• They maximize fear and shame. Main methods include:

  • They set situations involving socially sensitive issues like prostitution or gambling.
  • They touch on reputation by saying "your family and company will be in big trouble if they find out."
  • They exaggerate the risk of exposure to local police or media.
  • They pressure that irreversible consequences will come if not resolved immediately.

• They demand money under the pretext of cover-up costs. Main patterns include:

  • Initially they demand relatively small amounts to reduce resistance.
  • They gradually increase amounts and deceive by saying "this is the last money" to induce repeated transfers.
  • They present plausible purposes like lawyer fees, settlement money, and investigation cover-up costs.
  • Each time victims pay money, they claim additional problems have arisen and demand more money.

💡 Main Characteristics and Dangers of Setup Crime

1. Long-term Planning: Execute crimes after building trust relationships for months to years
2. Psychological Manipulation: Cloud judgment by maximizing victims' fear and shame
3. Reporting Avoidance: Victims avoid police reports believing they are also involved in crimes
4. Repeated Damage: Once money is sent, they continuously demand additional funds
5. Organized Crime: Multiple people share roles to perform sophisticated staging

3️⃣ Real Case Analysis and Response Measures

✅ Golf Trip Setup Fraud Case Analysis

• Meticulous advance preparation processes are confirmed. Main methods include:

  • The crime organization secretly attached location trackers to victims' vehicles to track their movements.
  • They investigated usual life patterns and economic capabilities in advance to establish crime plans.
  • They recruited fake minors and fake investigators overseas to prepare role-playing.
  • They suggested natural golf trips so victims wouldn't be suspicious.

• Staging and threats were systematically carried out on location. Main processes include:

  • They staged meetings with adults disguised as minors as if by coincidence.
  • Fake investigative agencies appeared and threatened arrest on prostitution charges.
  • People disguised as local legal experts claimed large settlement amounts were needed.
  • They pressured that international shame and punishment would follow if money wasn't transferred immediately.

✅ Prevention and Response Methods

• Early identification of suspicious signals is important. Main warning signs include:

  • When strangers are excessively friendly and suggest expensive trips
  • When people met overseas by chance approach too aggressively
  • When they suddenly claim legal problems have arisen and urgently need money
  • When they force secrecy, telling you not to inform family or acquaintances

• Immediate response is necessary when damage occurs. Main response methods include:

  • Do not comply with any money demands and immediately report to local or domestic police.
  • If the situation seems suspicious, immediately consult with family or trusted acquaintances.
  • Do not give in to criminals' threats and judge the situation calmly.
  • Even if money has already been sent, never comply with additional demands and report to police.
  • Keep all related evidence (texts, call records, transfer details, etc.) and cooperate with investigations.

4️⃣ Related Term Explanations

🔎 Extortion

• Extortion is a crime that obtains property through threats.
  • Extortion refers to crimes that obtain property delivery or gain property benefits by threatening people, as stipulated in Article 350 of the Criminal Code. Threats here include not only physical harm but also notification of harm to honor, credit, economic status, etc.
  • Requirements for extortion include: First, there must be threatening acts. These are acts that notify harm to the life, body, freedom, honor, or property of victims or their relatives. Second, property delivery or property benefits must be demanded. Third, victims must deliver property or provide benefits due to threats.
  • Demanding money under the pretext of "investigation cover-up" in setup crimes is typical extortion. Punishment is imprisonment of up to 5 years or fines of up to 10 million won, with aggravated punishment for habitual offenders. If damage amounts are large, the Aggravated Punishment Act for Specific Economic Crimes may apply.

🔎 Location Information Law Violation

• This law prohibits unauthorized collection of others' location information.
  • The Location Information Protection and Use Act (Location Information Law) is legislation enacted to protect individuals' location information and create safe usage environments for location information. It strictly regulates unauthorized collection and use of location information that could violate personal privacy and freedom.
  • Main prohibited acts include: First, collecting or using location information without the parties' consent. Second, providing collected location information to third parties without the parties' consent. Third, secretly installing location tracking devices to identify others' movements.
  • Attaching location trackers to victims' vehicles in setup crime cases is clear violation of location information law. This is punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years or fines of up to 50 million won, with heavier punishment for habitual violations. It can also be punished as personal privacy violation and stalking crimes.

🔎 Aggravated Punishment Act for Specific Economic Crimes

• This law increases sentences according to the damage scale of economic crimes.
  • The Aggravated Punishment Act for Specific Economic Crimes is special legislation that punishes fraud, embezzlement, and other economic crimes more heavily than general criminal law when damage exceeds certain levels. It aims to suppress crimes through severe punishment considering the social ripple effects and damage scale of economic crimes.
  • Punishment standards include: First, 500 million to 5 billion won results in imprisonment of 3 years or more. Second, 5 billion won or more results in life imprisonment or imprisonment of 5 years or more. Third, 100 million to 500 million won is also punished more heavily than general fraud.
  • When large amounts are obtained through setup crimes, this law applies resulting in very heavy punishment. While simple fraud cases receive up to 10 years imprisonment, classification as specific economic crimes results in minimum 3 years actual imprisonment, creating strong crime suppression effects. Measures to confiscate and collect criminal proceeds are also implemented together.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Will I be punished if I surrender after being victimized by setup crime?

A: If recognized as involuntary acts due to threats, you may not be punished or receive significant reduction.

• Due to the nature of setup crimes, victims either committed no actual crimes, or even if some acts occurred, they were due to threats and deception, so legal responsibility differs greatly. First, in completely fake situations, victims committed no crimes and are not subject to punishment. Second, even if some actual acts occurred, if recognized as forced acts due to threats, they may be acknowledged as reasons equivalent to legitimate defense or emergency evacuation. Third, surrender reduction may be received through surrender or reporting and active cooperation in investigations.
• The important thing is to stop giving in to threats and immediately report to police. Continuing to send money won't resolve the situation and will only increase damage. Courts understand the special nature of these situations well and often give lenient dispositions to victims.

Q: How should I respond when victimized by setup crime overseas?

A: Immediately report to both local police and Korean consulates, and never try to resolve it alone.

• When victimized by setup crime overseas, more careful and systematic responses are needed. First, immediately report to local police stations for official investigations. It's important to distinguish between fake investigators and real police and confirm facts through proper procedures. Second, contact Korean consulates or general consulates for help. Consulates can provide local legal information, interpretation support, lawyer connections, and other assistance. Third, inform family or acquaintances of the situation and have them also report to domestic police.
• There are also actions you should never take. Transferring money or keeping secrets according to criminals' demands will worsen the situation further. Also, don't act hastily because you "want to resolve quickly and return." It's safer to properly report and take measures locally before returning home. You can always get help through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 24-hour Consular Call Center (+82-2-3210-0404) or local consulates.

Contents

• Go to Guide