"Trusted an ad saying 'We'll solve your illegal loan problems'... and fell into another trap [Chronicles of Joseon Fishing]"

A, a man in his 30s residing in Seoul, was suffering from debt collection calls regarding illegal private loans when he discovered advertisements on a portal site featuring terms such as "illegal private loan debt settlement" and "specialist in resolving private loans. " When he clicked on the advertisement, he was directed to a company's website.
According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on the 14th, links to the FSS, the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor's Office, and the Korean Bar Association were posted at the bottom of the company's website. There were also many accounts of damages from illegal private loans and testimonials regarding their resolution.When Mr. A contacted the company, the consultant explained, "We can negotiate directly with the private lender to reduce or extend the debt." They stated that they would resolve the issue if he deposited just 200,000 won as an initial down payment. Mr.A transferred the money in the hope that he could resolve his private loan debt, amounting to millions of won, for a relatively small amount of money. Afterward, the company claimed to be in actual contact with the private lender and stated, "We have secured a promise to extend the maturity date." Just as A felt relieved, the company demanded an additional 300,000 won in fees, claiming they had resolved the issue. When A explained that they did not have the money to deposit immediately, the consultant began to pressure them, stating, "If you do not pay the fee, the extension agreement may be cancelled." The company's pressure intensified.The consultant began making threats, saying, "If the extension is cancelled, you never know what might happen." When A avoided contact, the consultant called and messaged not only A but also their spouse, demanding payment of the additional fees.
However, it turned out that, contrary to the company's claims, the debt issue had not been resolved at all.
Eventually, contact with the company was cut off, and A ended up bearing the full brunt of the illegal loan damage while losing only the fees.
The Financial Supervisory Service urged the public to absolutely refuse to comply with requests for fees in exchange for resolving illegal loans.The explanation is that in the majority of cases, they collect fees under the pretext of resolving illegal private loans, but since the loan issues are ultimately not resolved, the victims suffer additional financial losses.An official from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) advised, "If you are concerned about or worried about high interest rates or illegal debt collection, you can utilize the debtor representative system supported by the government free of charge," adding, "You can apply through the FSS website or the Illegal Private Loan Reporting Center, so please make active use of it.
" There are those who have not only their money but their lives stolen by a single phone call." There are those who have not only their money but their lives stolen by a single phone call.
zoom@fnnews.com Lee Ju-mi Reporter