Korean consumers scammed by fake websites offering 'discounted' luxury fashion brands
Published: 05 Sep. 2025, 14:08
![A hoodie sells for 520,000 won on the official Woo Young-mi website, top, but is listed for just 130,000 won on a fraudulent overseas site. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/05/8d5072b1-e3b1-4bf0-9dfa-111751735f16.jpg)
A hoodie sells for 520,000 won on the official Woo Young-mi website, top, but is listed for just 130,000 won on a fraudulent overseas site. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Fraudulent overseas websites posing as luxury fashion brands are deceiving Korean consumers with steep discounts, accepting payments, but failing to deliver products or honor refunds.
One site, wooyoungmisales.shop, is selling a black hoodie with a back logo for 138,171 won ($100), claiming it is 79 percent off. The same item is listed for 520,000 won on the official website of Korean designer Woo Young-mi. Shoppers who request refunds hear nothing back.
Another site, stusysale.top, is advertising a “spring inventory clearance sale” with 80 percent discounts. A tank top priced at over 80,000 won is offered for just 12,756 won, with extra markdowns for bulk orders. A buyer swayed by a ticking countdown placed an order but never received the product.
![A fraudulent overseas shopping site impersonates a well-known brand, luring customers with steep discounts [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/05/f5ee6fe9-a3d7-4dbe-86ea-3f4433b8d912.jpg)
A fraudulent overseas shopping site impersonates a well-known brand, luring customers with steep discounts [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]
Seoul issues consumer alert
The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea Consumer Agency issued a consumer warning Friday about an increase in scam websites impersonating well-known clothing brands, including Aro, Stussy and Woo Young-mi. These websites are often promoted through social media ads, particularly on Instagram.
Between January and July this year, the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center and the Korea Consumer Agency received 137 reports from consumers who fell for such scams. Of the 112 cases where access routes were traced, 93.7 percent originated from social media discount ads.
The scam sites are typically operated overseas and advertise prices that are far below retail. They use urgent-sounding phrases such as “80 percent off,” “limited time only” and “free shipping” to prompt impulse purchases. When consumers attempt to cancel or request a refund, the sites ignore them or cut off contact.
![Information about scam websites compiled by the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/05/11d8faec-279d-4b52-b5e7-e61753985552.jpg)
Information about scam websites compiled by the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]
Copycat domains trick shoppers
The websites closely mimic official brand sites, using identical logos, homepage layouts, and product photos to mislead consumers. They also use domain names that combine brand names with words like “vip,” “sale,” or domain suffixes such as “.shop,” “.top,” “.online,” or “.store.”
“If you discover a fashion site through an Instagram ad, be sure to verify whether it is the brand’s official website,” said a Seoul city official. “Watch out for URLs that combine the brand name with terms like ‘vip’ or ‘sale.’”
Consumers who have already been scammed are advised to promptly request a "chargeback" through their credit card issuer. This service allows cancellations within 120 days of purchase for Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and 180 days for UnionPay. Detailed guidance is available through the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center or the International Transactions Consumer Portal.
“Consumers should be especially wary of sites advertised on social media offering 60 to 90 percent discounts,” said Kim Myung-seon, director of the city’s Fair Economy Division. “Seoul will continue to work with the Korea Consumer Agency to monitor and block access to scam websites in Korea.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY MOON HEE-CHUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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