Everyday Tips

Before transferring money for cheap Chuseok gift sets, check seller history and distinguish fake links

FAM타임스 | 박문선 | Published 2026.09.16 13:37|Updated 2026.09.16 13:45 | Comments 0

===

스마트폰 화면에 시간(10:29)과 배터리 잔량(83%), 비행기 모드 아이콘이 표시된 클로즈업 사진 — Smartphone screen reference photo. Source: Skitterphoto / Wikimedia Commons.

Before transferring money for cheap Chuseok gift sets, the first things to check are the seller's information and any links sent via message. The Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 16th that scams where fraudsters pretend to sell gift sets or gift certificates at low prices around the holidays, only to disappear after taking the money, are recurring. Rather than looking at the discount rate, it is necessary to sequentially examine whether the counterparty's information and payment demands are natural.

Low-priced holiday items, recurring methods of disappearing after receiving money

The police stated that numerous scams occur on secondhand transaction platforms around Chuseok, where sellers claim to sell gift sets or gift certificates cheaply and then disappear after receiving payment. In addition to the method of not sending the goods, methods such as stealing photos of legitimate products to receive deposits and then cutting off contact, or inducing payment through fake safe-payment links, were mentioned.

Then, what is the first thing to be wary of in low-priced sales posts? When words that urge quick transfers, such as "only today" or "closing soon," are presented along with prices significantly lower than similar products, it is better not to rush the transaction. Rather than the seasonality of gift sets, whether the seller's information and payment conditions are clear is the starting point for judgment.

Seller history and business information must be checked together

The police advised not to be deceived by advertisements with extraordinary discount prices and to closely verify business information and seller history. Checking the seller's existing transaction history and reviews, the timing of product registration, and whether the photos used in the post are identical can help confirm the context of the sales post.

What should be looked at in the seller's information? Demands to use only bank transfers while refusing safe payment, or requests to move the conversation to an external messenger, should be viewed as red flags. For transactions involving food or health functional foods, it is good to check labeling information such as product name, manufacturer, expiration date, and storage method through photos to compare the price and product condition together.

Double-check by inquiring about report history before transferring money

The police guided that inquiring about the history of reported damages through the National Police Agency's "Cyber Fraud Damage Report History Inquiry" service can help with prevention. If this step is included just before transferring money rather than immediately upon finding a sales post, it can reduce the tendency to make judgments driven only by discount phrases or urgent messages.

The inquiry result is not a procedure that replaces checking the seller's history and business information, but an item to be viewed together. One must continue to examine whether the conditions presented by the seller are excessively urgent, whether they refuse safe payment, or whether they only demand external messengers and bank transfers. If doubts remain even after the report history inquiry, the option to delay the transfer is available.

Stop fake safe-payment and holiday smishing links immediately

Fake safe-payment links are a method of inducing payment through an address sent by the transaction counterparty. The police urged not to click on internet address links in unverified text messages and to strengthen mobile phone security settings so that unknown apps are not installed. The key is not to proceed with payment simply because a link was received.

At what kind of message should one stop? The police warned that text messages impersonating parcel tracking, holiday greetings, mobile gift certificate giveaways, or traffic violation fine inquiries can induce the installation of malicious apps, leading to small-amount payments or the theft of financial information. Even if a link is received during a secondhand transaction, if it is an unverified address, it should not be opened, and if a request to install an app occurs, the transaction must be stopped.

If money was transferred, preserve transfer details and damage screens first

If financial damage has already occurred, it must be reported by attaching evidence such as transfer statements and screens showing the occurrence of fraud damage. Preserving materials that show the transaction process and the counterparty, such as the sales post, conversation contents exchanged with the seller, bank transfer details, and product photos, will help in organizing the report contents.

What procedures follow after reporting? A certificate of fact issued by a police station can be submitted to relevant businesses such as mobile carriers or game companies to apply for damage relief. Immediately after the damage, it is necessary to secure screens and transfer records before the sales post and conversations disappear, and before a transaction, a flow is needed to re-judge whether to transfer money by checking seller history and links.