Fraud Schemes Targeting 'Contactless Transactions' on Secondhand Trading Sites
Expert Advises "Avoid Contactless Deals and Conduct Face-to-Face Transactions in Safe Locations"
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] # Mr. A, who failed to book tickets for singer Lim Young-woong's concert for his grandmother, fell victim to ticket fraud in May. Having heard rumors about frequent ticket scams on online secondhand trading sites, he decided to pay part of the ticket price in advance and settle the balance after receiving the tickets.
He carefully verified the seller's ID, contact information, bank account, and even changes to the ticket delivery address, believing it was not a scam. However, the seller disappeared after pocketing only the advance payment. To prevent further damage, he posted about his experience and his visit to the police station on an online community.
Singer Lim Young-woong's concert is known as the "National Filial Son and Daughter Contest." The ticketing competition is so fierce that it is called "Picketting" (a term meaning ticketing so intense it looks like blood is splattered). There is a sad joke among children that if they manage to get tickets and send their parents to Lim Young-woong's concert, it counts as filial piety, but if they fail, it is considered unfilial.
As tickets sell out immediately after booking opens, fans who fail to secure tickets often buy scalped tickets at a premium on online secondhand marketplaces. VIP seat tickets worth around 150,000 KRW are traded at about 600,000 to 800,000 KRW, roughly 4 to 5 times the original price.
There have been numerous cases of "ticket fraud" targeting these fans' devotion and filial piety. Most transactions on online secondhand trading sites are non-face-to-face, which scammers exploit by selling transferred or scalped tickets to desperate fans who want to attend the concert at any cost.
On the 7th, the Daegu District Court Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judge Jung Jin-woo) announced that it sentenced Mr. B, in his 20s, to 1 year and 4 months in prison for deceiving people by pretending to transfer Lim Young-woong concert tickets and embezzling money. Mr. B posted ads on an online secondhand goods trading site claiming to transfer Lim Young-woong concert seat tickets, received payment, and then absconded with the money. Over nine months, he committed fraud 44 times, embezzling a total of 13 million KRW.
The court stated, "This crime undermines the general trust in online transactions and is not a minor offense," adding, "Since the victims' damages have not been recovered, severe punishment is necessary."
There are also scams exploiting the passion of sports fans. On August 8, the Busan Geumjeong Police Station arrested and sent Mr. C (20) to prosecution on charges including fraud. He posted ads selling tickets for A-match games featuring Son Heung-min, captain of the national soccer team and a player in the English Premier League (EPL), at low prices, then cut off contact after receiving payment. He is confirmed to have embezzled about 47 million KRW over 117 incidents. Mr. C, unemployed, committed the crimes to cover living and entertainment expenses, and reportedly squandered all the stolen money.
Experts advise avoiding non-face-to-face transactions as much as possible to minimize ticket fraud damage. Seung Jae-hyun, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Criminal Justice Policy, said, "Consumers need to remember the principle of 'slowly but surely' to prevent frequent fraud in secondhand trading."
Researcher Seung explained, "Unless the payment service guarantees safe transactions, non-face-to-face trading should be avoided as much as possible. Even for face-to-face transactions, selecting locations with high foot traffic, such as busy downtown areas or in front of police stations, where parties can trade most safely, is the best way to prevent ticket fraud in secondhand trading."
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