Woman Loses $35,000 After Falling for Lee Dong-wook Impersonation Scam
30대 여성이 인기 있는 한국 배우 이동욱(Lee Dong-wook)으로 가장한 사람에게 속아 약 3,500만 원을 잃었다고 밝혔다(환율에 따라 약 2만 5천~3만 5천 달러).
The case was recently featured on SBS’s investigative program News Hunters, which aired on September 16.
According to the victim, identified as a woman in her 30s who works as an extra in television productions, she believed she had been in a romantic relationship with the person for approximately eight months.
She said the man introduced himself as Lee Dong-wook and gradually convinced her that their relationship was becoming serious.
“He told me things that sounded like a confession,” she said. “We even talked about meeting my parents and having a formal family meeting. I believed our relationship had developed into something serious.”
The woman said she eventually spent between 30 million and 40 million won, including money from her savings, and ultimately transferred around 35 million won to the person.
A Package Worth Hundreds of Millions of Won
The scam reportedly became more elaborate when the impersonator claimed that he was overseas filming and had sent her a gift package worth approximately 700 million won, or around $500,000.
He allegedly told her that the package had been held by customs and that large payments were required to obtain the necessary customs documents.
The victim said she was repeatedly asked to send money for supposed customs and administrative fees. The total amount eventually reached approximately 35 million won.
The impersonator reportedly told her that, because he was a celebrity, the situation could become a serious problem if the transaction became known publicly.
He allegedly instructed her not to send money to his agency’s official account and instead transfer it to bank accounts he personally provided.
The victim also noticed that the names associated with the different bank accounts were not consistent.
Agency Warns Fans About Impersonation Scams
Lee Dong-wook’s agency issued a warning regarding the case.
The agency stated that its artists never use personal messaging services or social media accounts to request money, valuables, or personal information from individuals.
The agency also noted that similar incidents have reportedly occurred elsewhere and urged the public to exercise caution.
The case highlights the growing risks of celebrity impersonation scams, particularly when scammers use romantic relationships, expensive gifts, or fabricated customs fees to persuade victims to send money.
Fans should verify any suspicious request through an artist’s official agency or verified social media channels rather than relying on private messages or personal accounts.