Scams Targeting Secondhand Sellers: Tactics and What to Do

Sellers in secondhand transactions can also lose money to fake secure payment sites. A demand to deposit money before withdrawing sale proceeds is a warning sign of fraud. Stop sending money. Check the payment status directly in the official app or your own bank account.

The legal explanation is based on the Telecommunications Fraud Victim Refund Act effective October 2, 2026.

How secondhand transaction scams target sellers

The scammer poses as a buyer, then gets the seller to send money. First, they propose buying with points on another site. They then persuade the seller to list the item again on that site.

The fake site shows the sale proceeds as points credited to the seller. When the seller tries to withdraw them, the site blocks the withdrawal, citing an account error or freeze. A channel posing as customer support demands a deposit to resolve the problem.

A report by Maeil Shinmun on October 6, 2024, described the same pattern. It reported a case in which a seller was asked to pay a fee to withdraw points. That report alone cannot establish the current rate of increase in victims.

Comparing official secure payment services with fake ones

Judge by the order details you verify yourself, not by the name “secure payment.” With secure payment, the purchase price is held and then settled under specified conditions. Fees and settlement times vary by platform.

Do not assume a site is legitimate because it lets you list an item. A logo and a customer support screen do not prove it is genuine either. Even if the screen looks familiar, open the official app separately to check.

What to check before a transaction

Sellers should verify the payment status through official channels before handing over an item. A deposit screen sent by the buyer does not confirm that the money was actually deposited. Bank transfers and secure payments must be checked in different places.

1. Confirm the transaction terms in the original platform’s chat. Check any request to move to an external site with the platform’s official customer support.
2. For a bank transfer, check incoming transactions in your own banking app. Do not ship an item based only on a text message or screenshot sent by the other party.
3. For a secure payment transaction, check the order status in the official app. Follow that service’s guidance on whether you can ship the item.
4. If you are asked to pay to unlock a withdrawal, stop sending money. Use official customer support instead of a support channel provided by the other party.
5. Keep a record of the item’s condition and the agreed transaction terms. If you have shipped it, keep the tracking number and delivery records too.

What to do at each stage of a suspected scam

Opening a link, entering information, and sending money call for different responses. First, identify how far you got. If you installed an app, you should also seek advice about possible exposure of your financial information.

Opening a link alone is not enough to determine whether your device is infected. Check whether you also ran an installation file. If you are unsure, ask KISA 118 for advice on what to do.

The difference between protecting your account and freezing the recipient’s account

Steps to protect your own account are separate from a freeze on the recipient’s account. If your authentication information has been exposed, ask your bank for protective measures. For money you have already sent, check separately whether action can be taken on the receiving account.

Not every secondhand transaction scam qualifies for an account freeze under the special act. Article 2 of the Telecommunications Fraud Victim Refund Act contains an exclusion for acts disguised as transactions for goods or services. You can check the provision at the National Law Information Center.

The nature of a payment to unlock a withdrawal must, however, be assessed in light of what actually happened. Explain to the bank whether the transfer was payment for goods or was made in response to a demand for an additional deposit. Check with the bank and police whether an account freeze is possible. Even if the account is frozen, a full refund is not guaranteed.

What to collect and do when reporting a scam

Your report materials should show the link between the other party’s demands and your transfers. If you keep only the screen showing the final deposit, the record will omit how you were lured to the external site. Save the conversation from the first transaction proposal onward.

The National Police Agency’s Cybercrime Reporting System, ECRM, provides the following guidance:

Because of the nature of online reporting, the victim must visit a police station and give a statement.

Source: National Police Agency Cybercrime Reporting System ECRM reporting guidance

1. Save the other party’s account details and the original listing. Record the external site’s address too.
2. Keep screens showing the points credited and the withdrawal error. Save the conversation demanding an additional deposit as well.
3. Obtain your transfer records from the bank. Prepare records showing the transfer date and time, amount, and receiving account.
4. Report the account through the transaction platform’s official reporting menu. Preserve the records before blocking the account.
5. Report the loss through ECRM or at a police station. Prepare your ID and evidence of the conversations and transfers.

After reporting online through ECRM, you may need to visit a police station. An exception to the visit requirement may apply in some cases involving multiple victims. Check the filing instructions and ask the investigator in charge whether you need to visit.

You can report an urgent crime to 112. Police civil complaint guidance is available at 182. For advice about personal information breaches and malicious apps, contact KISA 118.

Common mistakes when checking scam reports

A result showing no reports does not guarantee safety. Police Civil Complaints 24 searches have limits on the search period and number of reports. A number used for the first time, or one with few reports, may not appear in the results.

Police Civil Complaints 24 says it compares numbers reported at least 3 times in the past 3 months. Check the criteria again on the screen when you use the service. (Check result: compares numbers reported to the cybercrime reporting system at least 3 times in the 3 months before the search · Source: minwon24.police.go.kr · Checked 2026-10-17) Alongside the search result, examine the payment steps the other party is asking you to follow.

Transaction terms buyers should also check

Buyers should check the item and the payment channel separately. A low price or a plausible story from the seller is not proof that a transaction is safe. An agreement to meet in person is no substitute for inspecting the actual item.

If someone gives you only an apartment complex name and says they will provide the full address after you pay, stop the transaction. You do not need to pay in advance just because you have arrived at the meeting place. Sellers should also confirm that the money has actually reached their own account before handing over the item.