Kim Sung-joo, chairman of the National Pension Service (NPS), has urged the public to be cautious of investment solicitation messages impersonating him.
Kim recently posted on his social media account: "Messages soliciting investments by impersonating me are fake. Please report and block them."
The warning comes as messages falsely claiming to be from the NPS chairman—offering investment tips or guaranteeing returns—have been circulating online.
Investment scams impersonating celebrities typically involve inducing purchases of specific stocks or demanding investment funds while promising high returns. Fraudsters increasingly pose as popular entertainers, public institution officials, or financial industry figures who command high public trust.
In 2023, illegal stock "leading rooms" impersonating prominent financial figures proliferated, including Park Hyun-joo, chairman of Mirae Asset Financial Group; Kang Bang-cheon, chairman of Assetplus Asset Management; and John Lee, former CEO of Meritz Asset Management.