Flip4 140,000 Won?…KCC Issues Warning on Mobile Phone Fraudulent Sales

Telemarketing Surges Ahead of Holidays and S23 Launch
Must Clearly Confirm Contract Terms

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] The Korea Communications Commission recently warned users on the 20th that fraudulent sales of mobile phones through telemarketing with false and exaggerated advertisements are occurring ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday and the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 new smartphone.

According to major damage cases, during a special discount period, customers are informed that they can purchase a Galaxy Z Flip4 worth approximately 1,350,000 KRW for 140,000 KRW. However, in reality, there are strict usage conditions such as a 25% discount on the selected contract plan, credit card partnership discounts, and trade-in conditions for used phones, but the price reduction is explained as if it is simply a discount on the device price, misleading users.

There have even been complaints reporting fraud damage where customers were guided to believe that by subscribing to a high-priced plan for six months during the promotion period, they would receive a significant additional discount (500,000 to 600,000 KRW) beyond the official subsidy, making the monthly fee seem cheaper. However, upon receiving the actual bill, they found that the device installment contract period was 48 months, making the subscription conditions disadvantageous.

To prevent such fraud damage, when a latest mobile phone is offered at an unreasonably low price, it is necessary to accurately check the number of installment months, the total remaining installment amount, and the plan used. If there are parts that are not understood, additional explanations should be requested.

Since telemarketing contracts are made non-face-to-face and delivered by courier, the mobile phone subscription application form must be enclosed and sent. When the phone is activated, it is important to verify whether the contract conditions match the discussed terms, and if there are any questions, information must be confirmed through the activation agency or the mobile carrier call center.

With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 approaching and fierce competition to attract subscribers, complaints about device fraud have recently increased. The Korea Communications Commission has requested mobile carriers to take strict measures against telemarketing sellers who engage in illegal or unfair advertising and plans to further strengthen its own monitoring.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.