Danggeun Market Strengthens Measures Against 'Gift Card Transaction Scams'

Rapid Increase in Online Gift Card Fraud in the Secondhand Market

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Recently, Karrot Market has taken measures against gift card trading scams rampant in the secondhand market. They also emphasized that the key to preventing damage is face-to-face direct transactions.

On the 24th, Karrot Market announced that it will raise internal policy standards for gift card transactions to proactively block suspicious scam sales posts. Gift card trading scams, which are widespread in the secondhand market, are typical fraud methods where the scammer disappears after receiving advance payment through non-face-to-face transactions. They urge advance payment by proposing prices significantly lower than the face value of paper gift cards and selling in the order of payment, or approach buyers by claiming to immediately send online gift cards via mobile phone and demand advance payment.

Karrot Market will take technical measures to analyze posts of gift card trading scam types and proactively sanction them. If a pattern such as repeatedly selling only gift cards within a short period is detected, the post will be hidden in advance even before user reports. They are also accelerating the development of technology that automatically sanctions when scam attempts are detected.

If there is no response within one hour after payment, and the buyer reports it, the account will be immediately sanctioned. At the same time as the sanction, a warning message will be sent immediately to all users who have conversed with the account, and a red warning label indicating the user is suspended will be displayed on the profile screen and at the top of all chat windows of the problematic account to prevent secondary damage.

They will also strengthen user caution notices and sanction guidelines. When a gift card trading chat room is opened, guidelines titled 'Precautions for Gift Card Transactions' will be sent to both buyers and sellers. In case of scam damage, instructions on how to respond and report procedures will be provided, and a dedicated investigation response team will cooperate with police investigations in real time.

A Karrot Market official said, "Since most secondhand trading scams occur in non-face-to-face, advance payment transactions, we urge sellers and buyers to meet directly, check the goods, and conduct face-to-face direct transactions," adding, "We will do our utmost to protect users so that good users do not suffer from the fraudulent acts of some malicious users."