"Bankrupt, Can't Return 200 Million Deposit".. Another Jeonse Fraud Hits Dongtan Officetel Again

Police Launch Investigation into Dongtan Jeonse Fraud
Another Victim Preparing to Report

Yu (31, female), who lives in an officetel in Dongtan New Town, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, received an absurd phone call from her landlord on the 6th. The officetel owner, Ji (33, female), said, "Due to tax arrears, I will be bankrupt tomorrow. I don't think I can return the deposit. I'm sorry." Yu's deposit was 173 million won, close to 200 million won. Unable to sleep due to her bewilderment, she found others in a public messenger chat room who were experiencing similar situations. Yu said, "I have not been able to get back my 173 million won deposit. I am very angry, and it is outrageous that there are many similar victims," adding, "I am currently exploring all options, including criminal charges."

Victims of jeonse fraud held a press conference on the 18th in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, urging the establishment of measures to address jeonse fraud damage. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

The police have launched an investigation after receiving reports that a landlord who owns hundreds of officetels in the Dongtan New Town area went bankrupt, leaving dozens of victims unable to recover their jeonse deposits. More victims claiming to have been scammed by other landlords are emerging, suggesting that jeonse fraud in the Dongtan New Town area is likely to expand.

According to the police on the 19th, the Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station in Gyeonggi Province began investigating after receiving a report the day before that a landlord owning about 250 officetels failed to return deposits, raising concerns about a collective jeonse fraud incident.

A police official stated, "We started an investigation based on a victim's report," and added, "We are currently verifying additional victims and the exact amount of damages." The reporter is known to have claimed that although the officetel lease contract expired, they have not been able to recover their deposit.

Currently, several posts online express grievances about such damages. The appeals mainly state that Park, a landlord owning about 250 officetels in the Dongtan New Town area, demanded the transfer of officetel ownership, citing difficulties in returning the jeonse deposits due to tax arrears. The officetels are currently in a reverse jeonse state, and tenants reportedly face losses of about 20 to 50 million won each if ownership is transferred.

In addition to the reports filed with the police, more individuals claiming to have been victims of jeonse fraud in the Dongtan New Town area are emerging, indicating that the damage is expected to grow. A person introducing themselves as another victim, A, said, "I contracted with a landlord who owns about 40 properties, but I am now at risk of not getting my jeonse deposit back. Currently, victims scammed by this landlord are gathering to prepare criminal charges."

Meanwhile, the Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency is also intensifying investigations related to jeonse fraud. On the same day, the agency announced that it had arrested five people involved in the so-called "Villa God" case, who owned about 3,400 villas and officetels nationwide through a recent 'zero-capital gap investment' method, and sent about 130 licensed real estate agents to prosecution without detention. Additionally, it was confirmed that about 100 more suspects related to the case have been identified and are under investigation.

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