Warning for Suspicious Email Scam Site '@Top-sale-korea.com'

Korea Consumer Agency Receives 66 Consumer Inquiries

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As the number of consumers using overseas direct purchase increases, consumer damage related to suspicious scam sites repeatedly using the email address ‘@Top-sale-korea.com’ is also rising, requiring caution.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 17th, 66 consumer consultations related to sites using this email address were received until the 20th of last month this year. The most common complaint type was 'refusal or delay of contract cancellation and refund' with 43 cases (65.2%), followed by 'business operator contact loss' with 8 cases (12.1%), and 'product defects' with 3 cases (4.5%).

Many consumers encountered these sites through advertisements on YouTube or social networking services (SNS). These sites shared common characteristics such as discrepancies between the actual business operator information and the site’s business operator information when checking the business registration number, and company introduction content written in awkward translated sentences. Recently, 6 consumer damage cases related to suspicious scam sites using the email address ‘@support@uu365.store’ were also reported.

The Consumer Agency emphasized that to prevent damage, it is advisable to check whether the site connected through YouTube or SNS advertisements is registered as a suspicious scam site on the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network portal before purchasing products. If damage occurs, consumers can apply for the 'chargeback' service with the credit card company by preparing proof such as transaction details or email content. Chargeback is a service that allows consumers to request the credit card company to cancel an already approved transaction in cases of damage in international transactions.