Beloved actor and model Bae Jung Nam recently opened up about a shocking loss of money after being tricked by a phishing scam. His full experience was recently featured in an episode of SBS’s My Ugly Duckling, which explored the growing threat of online fraud and scams in detail.
During the episode, Bae joins close friends Song Hae Na, Lee Sang Min, and Kim Jong Min at Song’s home, where the topic of scams comes up. Song expresses her gratitude toward Bae, revealing that she narrowly avoided a phishing scam in the past thanks to his help. However, her relief didn’t last long, as scammers later attempted to deceive her again using an entirely different strategy — leaving both her and the rest of the panel stunned.
Bae then shocked everyone by sharing his own recent encounter with a phishing scam.
While trying to buy an item through a second-hand marketplace, he was tricked into sending money to a fraudulent seller. Within just five minutes, he had transferred a staggering ₩4.50 million KRW (about $3,090 USD), only realizing afterward that he had been scammed.
The actor quickly took action against the scammer, but the incident left everyone in the studio unsettled. It proved just how refined and carefully thought out these scams have become.
To shed light on this growing issue, a fraud expert appears on the show, calling this the “era of large-scale scams.” From fake funeral notice texts to criminals impersonating government officials, the number of fraud methods continues to rise. The expert also warns about AI-powered phishing, where scammers use artificial intelligence to mimic real voices — leaving the stars speechless at the oncoming threat.
As scam tactics become more advanced, My Ugly Duckling will break down the latest tricks and prevention tips. While stories like Bae Jung Nam’s phishing incident are frightening to hear, it’s important they’re shared with the world to help keep others aware so they may not fall for the same scams.