The Korea International Trade Association urged local trading companies on Tuesday to watch out for email scams as a growing number of hackers break into the firms’ email accounts to snatch money, taking advantage of online transactions.

Hackers usually breach email accounts of staff members at a company to steal information and invoices from a foreign trade partner, the state-run agency said. They then resend an invoice to the employees after altering payment methods like bank account numbers to wire money to them.

“The spreading cyber crimes target a recent trend in which companies communicate via emails and make online payments for their business transactions,” KITA said in a statement.

In one case, a health food maker in North Chungcheong Province was exposed to such attacks and erroneously wired 50 percent of deposits for its products to hackers instead of its Czech buyers, the agency said, without giving the value of the transaction.

KITA urged exporters and importers around the country to frequently change passwords for their email accounts and websites and to check any modifications on invoices with their partners via phone or fax.

Concerns mount over online hacking and leaks of personal information in recent months as incidents relayed on an unprecedented scale in the world’s most wired country.

Customers of SK Communications, Nonghyup, Hyundai Capital and Samsung Card have been exposed to such violations, stoking criticism over the companies’ data mismanagement and the government’s loose regulatory guidelines.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)