Online shopping

Korean online shopping is convenient, but fraud and return disputes are common.

The main sites

• Open marketplaces — Coupang, 11st, Gmarket, Auction
• Portal and app shopping — Naver Shopping, Kakao Shopping
• Same-day and dawn delivery — Coupang, Market Kurly
• Second-hand — Danggeun Market, Bunjang. Beware direct-deal fraud.

Check before paying

1. Seller details — is there a business registration number and contact?
2. Reviews and ratings — be suspicious if only glowing reviews exist.
3. Delivery and return costs
4. Exchange and refund conditions
5. Be suspicious of abnormally low prices. They are often fraud.

Withdrawal (returns)

Under e-commerce law, consumers may withdraw from a purchase within a set period.

• Even a simple change of mind is often possible within the period (you bear return postage).
• Made-to-order goods and items whose value is lost once opened are among the exceptions.
• Confirm the exact period and exceptions with 1372.

If you are defrauded

1. Try to contact the seller and record the exchange.
2. Request cancellation of payment. You can raise a dispute with your card company.
3. Consult 1372 (Consumer Counselling Centre).
4. If it is fraud, report to 112 and use the cyber crime report site (ecrm.police.go.kr).
5. Keep all transaction records, messages and payment evidence.

Where to go

• 1372 Consumer Counselling Centre
• 112 fraud reports · police cyber crime reporting ecrm.police.go.kr
• Your card company's customer centre (payment cancellation)
• 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation

Questions people ask

I paid for a second-hand item and never received it. That is fraud. Report to 112 and submit the account number, messages and transfer records. Use the police cyber crime reporting site too.

They ask me to transfer to a personal account. Very dangerous. Use escrow-protected payment and avoid direct personal transfers.

The site is in Korean and it's hard. Use browser translation, or shop on sites that support English.

Is there customs duty on overseas orders? It depends on the value and item. Ask the Korea Customs Service (125).

Take care

Pressure like "this price today only" or "extra discount if you pay now" is classic fraud. If they demand a personal account transfer and their only contact is a mobile number, it is almost certainly a scam. Pay by card or escrow.

Related

online-scam · scam-types · parcel-delivery · grocery-shopping

Source

Korea Fair Trade Commission www.ftc.go.kr / As of 2026-08