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A romance scam impersonating actor Lee Dong Wook recently led to a 30-year-old woman losing 35 million won. The imposter approached the victim via social media, feigning a romantic relationship for nearly a year, psychologically manipulating her before extorting money through a typical scam method.
The scammer built trust by sending the victim selfies of Lee Dong Wook and photos of luxury gifts worth approximately 700 million won. Subsequently, the imposter claimed customs issues arose during overseas filming and demanded millions of won for customs clearance fees, totaling 35 million won. The victim used her savings and living expenses to send the money, remaining unaware of the fraud despite varying account names for deposits. Lee Dong Wook's agency, King Kong by Starship, issued an official statement clarifying that their artists never solicit money or personal information via private messengers or social media.
Bloggers emphasize the importance of immediately suspecting and blocking any accounts that display excessive intimacy or demand money in non-face-to-face interactions. They also advise that celebrity impersonation crimes can happen to anyone, urging extreme caution during social media activities and recommending verification through official agency channels if any monetary demands are made.
