YouTube under fire as overseas shopping scam ads surge
Summary
Seoul officials said complaints about overseas shopping sites promoted through YouTube ads surged in the first half of 2026. The Seoul Electronic Commerce Center and Korea Consumer Agency received 359 related complaints this year, with 142 in June. Officials urged consumers to verify seller information, refund policies and delivery terms before paying.
Key Facts
- The Seoul Electronic Commerce Center and Korea Consumer Agency received 359 related consumer complaints so far in 2026, and 142 were filed in June.
- Misleading or exaggerated advertising and refusals to provide refunds or honor cancellations accounted for 24 percent of the complaints.
- Clothing and fashion goods made up 63.2 percent of cases, and the average reported loss was 70,849 won.
- People in their 50s accounted for 34.8 percent of cases where age was known, while those 60 and older accounted for 30.4 percent.
- Officials advised buyers to save screenshots of ads, orders and payment records and to use credit card chargeback services when sellers disappear or refunds are denied.
AliExpress webpage / internet capture
A cheap online purchase can become an expensive lesson, with Seoul officials warning that complaints tied to overseas shopping sites promoted through YouTube ads surged sharply in the first half of 2026.
The Seoul Electronic Commerce Center and Korea Consumer Agency received 359 related consumer complaints so far this year, reaching 142 in June, about 4.6 times the 31 recorded in January.
The most common complaints, accounting for 24 percent of cases, involved misleading or exaggerated advertising and refusals to provide refunds or honor cancellation requests.
Another 21.7 percent involved sellers who became unreachable, while delivery problems accounted for 13.4 percent and excessive return charges for 11.4 percent.
In one case, a consumer ordered fleece-lined winter pants after seeing a YouTube advertisement but received a thin pair more suitable for summer, according to Seoul officials.
Clothing and fashion goods accounted for 63.2 percent of all complaints, followed by furniture, household and kitchen goods at 11.1 percent and health and hygiene products at 10.6 percent.
The average reported loss was 70,849 won ($48), and 88.9 percent of cases involved purchases costing less than 100,000 won.
Older consumers were disproportionately affected. For cases where the complainant's age was known, people in their 50s accounted for 34.8 percent of cases and those 60 and older accounted for 30.4 percent.
Seoul urged consumers to check the seller's name, address, contact information and refund policies before paying, rather than relying on advertised discounts or product claims.
"As video platforms and social media usage increase among middle-aged and older adults, related consumer damages are also trending upward," said Lee Yeon-hwa, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Fair Economy Division. "Even though these are foreign shopping websites, domestic easy payment options are often available, making it essential for consumers to verify merchant information prior to purchase. Furthermore, buyers should carefully review notice details regarding personal customs clearance codes and estimated delivery times on the site before proceeding with any transaction."
Officials also recommended saving screenshots of advertisements, orders and payment records and using credit card company chargeback services when sellers disappear, products are not delivered or refunds are denied.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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