Man Poses as Female Influencer, Scams Billions by Selling Luxury Goods at Bargain Prices

A man in his 20s is facing fraud charges after allegedly deceiving numerous individuals out of billions of won by impersonating a female influencer and selling luxury goods at heavily discounted prices. The suspect has been sent to prosecutors without detention.

Operating on online trading platforms, the suspect, identified as Mr. Park, is accused of soliciting money by advertising luxury bags and other items at fractions of their market value. Victims paid for these goods but never received them. To gain trust, Park allegedly cultivated an online persona of a popular female influencer with a substantial following on social media, using this fabricated identity to approach potential victims.

So far, police have identified approximately 50 victims, with the total damages estimated at 4.2 billion won (approximately $3 million USD). Authorities anticipate that the scale of the fraud could grow as more complaints are lodged. Some victims reportedly waited for over two years to receive their purchases, only to never get any items.

Despite the accusations, Park has reportedly denied the charges, claiming that delivery delays were caused by a surge in refund requests. His bank accounts were found to have virtually no balance, though he is reported to have lived in a luxury residence using the illicit funds. Police are investigating whether he used photos of real individuals to create his fake persona and if he had any accomplices. Park is already in custody for separate fraud charges, and prosecutors are considering applying the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Economic Crimes.