A sheet with a Korea Post logo is attached to your front door. Before calling the number to ask about a missed registered delivery, pause once. A notice at your home does not establish who issued it.
On September 29, 2026, Korea Post reported forged mail arrival notices in some areas. In some versions, only the carrier’s number or QR code was replaced, making visual identification difficult. The release does not establish all affected locations, victim counts or losses; we do not describe it as a nationwide surge in losses. Korea Post’s announcement today
Key points
- Paper and adhesive provide clues, but appearance alone cannot establish authenticity.
- Verify through 1588-1300 or a nearby Korean post office, independently of the printed number and QR.
- Do not provide resident registration or account numbers; record your actions before seeking advice.
Three takeaways
- Official notices use special thermal paper and an adhesive designed to leave no residue; ordinary paper or clear tape is a warning clue.
- Appearance cannot establish authenticity. Check through the official postal customer center, rather than the printed number or QR code.
- For postal inquiries in Korea, call 1588-1300. Do not comply with requests to enter resident registration or bank account numbers.
First, understand what an arrival notice means
A mail arrival notice informs you that registered mail could not be delivered, for example because the recipient was absent. It may be attached to the entrance. Its presence does not itself establish an unpaid charge, a legal violation or an obligation to install an app. Separate what the notice reports from what a caller subsequently demands. The purpose of the official notice
For example, if “we could not deliver registered mail” is followed by “install an identity verification app,” check the delivery through an official channel first. This is a hypothetical situation illustrating the order of checks, not a reconstruction of a victim’s experience in this incident.
Four steps to verify an arrival notice
Confirm the delivery outside the contact details on the paper.
- 01Observe and recordPaper, attachment, text
- 02Pause before connectingUnfamiliar number or QR
- 03Verify independently1588-1300 or post office
- 04Collect or reportAfter checking actual mail
The illustration is an editorial concept diagram showing observation followed by independent verification. It is neither a photograph of a real notice nor an authenticity detector. It reproduces no working QR code or Korea Post logo.
Paper and adhesive: clues, not a certificate
Korea Post says its notices use special thermal paper, like receipt paper, and an adhesive that is easy to attach and remove without leaving residue, similar to a sticky note. It advises suspicion when ordinary paper is attached with clear tape or a sticker does not come off cleanly. Paper and adhesive guidance
| What to observe | Feature in the official release | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Special thermal paper | Ask the official post office if it appears to be ordinary paper |
| Attachment | Easily removable adhesive that leaves no residue | Clear tape or remaining adhesive is a warning clue |
| Number and QR | Forgeries replacing only these parts were found | Do not authenticate the notice through its printed number or QR |
| Additional demands | Korea Post says it does not collect resident registration or account numbers online or by phone | Stop if asked to enter these and verify independently |
Do not reverse the table into “it looks like thermal paper and peels off easily, so it is genuine.” The release itself notes that visual identification can be difficult. Texture and color are reasons to investigate, not substitutes for checking whether mail actually exists. Rather than immediately throwing away a notice on your door, document its condition and ask the post office if it is suspicious.
Verify outside the contact details on the notice
Contact the postal customer center at 1588-1300 or a nearby post office. Cross-check the number on an official site instead of copying it from the questionable sheet. For online tracking, use the official Internet Post Office linked from Korea Post’s site. Korea Post contact guidance · Internet Post Office
You could ask: “There is an arrival notice on my door and I suspect it may be forged. Please tell me how to confirm whether a registered delivery was attempted and which post office can check.” This is an editorial example of an inquiry. Ask the official adviser what information is needed; do not send verification codes or account details to the contact on the notice.
If registered mail is confirmed, ask that post office about redelivery, collection and required documents. This article does not prescribe one holding period or number of delivery attempts. Confirm the mail type and current processing status, then follow the relevant office’s instructions.
A QR code is not a trust mark
The US FTC warns about replacing legitimate QR codes and using supposed delivery problems to prompt scans. It advises inspecting the destination of an unexpected QR code and, when doubtful, checking through a known official website or number. This is general prevention guidance from 2023, not evidence of the scale of today’s Korean incident. FTC QR guidance
For a mail inquiry, you can contact the official post office without opening an unfamiliar QR link. A familiar name in the preview does not guarantee safety. Recognizing a code with the camera, opening a webpage, entering information and installing an app are also distinct actions.
If you already called or opened it, record what you did
Write down how far you went: aimed the camera at the QR, opened a page, entered a password, installed an app or sent money. The notice and call or screen records may help an adviser, but you need not reopen a suspicious link or keep talking to the sender to investigate harm.
For device security and privacy advice, check KISA’s official 118 service information. Its current telephone guidance distinguishes urgent hacking/virus advice from general advice hours. Korea Post advises reporting suspected forged notices to a nearby post office or police. Our existing guide also explains responses after entering information, installing software or transferring money. These contacts are for Korea. KISA 118 · Existing smishing response guide
A checklist at your front door
1. Record the paper, attachment and text; do not publicly share photographs exposing personal information. 2. Look for ordinary paper or clear tape, but do not conclude safety from appearance alone. 3. Check the actual delivery through the official postal center or a nearby office, independently of the printed number and QR. 4. Stop if asked for resident registration or account numbers, or to install an unfamiliar app. 5. If mail is confirmed, ask the relevant office how to collect it and what to bring.
The useful habit is choosing your own verification route, rather than becoming an expert in paper. Share one sentence with family: “Check a notice on the door separately with the post office.”
What we checked for this article
For the September 29, 2026, 15:00 KST slot, we read Asia Economy’s most-read listing on Naver and the article. The displayed aggregation period was 13:00–14:00, and it ranked third for that publisher. This is not a Naver-wide keyword ranking or search volume. We also directly read today’s Korea Post release and official FTC and KISA guidance. Naver article