"Additional Discount When Buying from Direct Mall" Turns Out to Be an Electronics Scam Site

Promoting Direct Site Purchases with Price Discounts and Fast Delivery
Property Damage Exceeding 50 Million Won Over 3 Months, More Than 52 Cases Reported
Be Cautious When Contacted to Inquire About Product Stock Availability

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] #Mr. A purchased a dishwasher on an open market. Mr. A was contacted by the seller, who said that if he bought it from the direct shopping mall instead of the open market, he could get an additional discount. Mr. A canceled the payment on the open market and reordered and paid for the dishwasher on the online shopping mall provided by the seller. After the seller informed him that the "product is scheduled for delivery," all contact was lost.

Fraudulent sites that lure consumers by promising cheap and fast purchases of home appliances are rampant. The property damage in Seoul alone has exceeded 50 million KRW over three months.

According to Seoul City on the 27th, a total of 52 reports were filed with the 'E-commerce Center' from last November, resulting in 50 million KRW in damages. The number of cases has been increasing monthly: 11 in November, 17 in December, and 24 in January.

The scam method for home appliances involves contacting sellers on open markets by phone to inquire about stock availability or delivery schedules, then being induced to purchase directly from the seller’s direct shopping mall by offering additional discounts or faster delivery.

While cash payments were mainly used before, recently the scam methods have evolved to allow card payments on the sites. These sites operate by stealing other business information or falsely displaying business registration numbers, addresses, and telecommunication sales numbers at the bottom of the online site.

Before purchasing a product, it is essential to check the seller’s product reviews to confirm whether products were normally delivered in the past. If you are prompted to inquire about product stock before purchase, it may be a scam site, so extra caution is necessary.

Seoul City stated, "To reduce consumer damage from online sites, large open markets display warning messages on product detail pages advising consumers to be cautious of direct transactions with sellers involving cash payments. However, this is insufficient to prevent damage, so consumers need to be careful when purchasing goods through online sites."

Seoul City operates the 'Seoul E-commerce Center' to provide information on online shopping malls and to offer consultation and resolution for disputes between consumers and businesses. It provides guidance on returns, refunds, regulations, and damage relief procedures.

Lee Byung-wook, Seoul City’s Fair Economy Officer, said, "If you are induced to make direct transactions when purchasing products on open markets, you should immediately stop the transaction. As scam methods become more sophisticated, it is safer for both open market platforms and consumers to carefully verify before purchasing. If you have suffered damage or suspect fraud, you can seek help by consulting the ‘Seoul E-commerce Center’ or the ‘Korea Consumer Agency.’"