South Korean ChatGPT Users Report Unauthorized Billing, 858 Transactions Suspected Fraudulent

A series of unauthorized charges targeting South Korean users of ChatGPT have surfaced, with many individuals being billed for the premium ChatGPT Pro subscription without their consent. Reports indicate a significant number of fraudulent transactions have occurred recently.

According to local media, there were 1,368 transactions for the ChatGPT Pro plan in South Korea this month, totaling around 400 million South Korean won (approximately $8.33 million USD). Out of these, 858 transactions, amounting to approximately 250 million South Korean won (about $5.2 million USD), are suspected to be fraudulent.

OpenAI, the operator of ChatGPT, has responded to the allegations, clarifying that the company did not charge customers without authorization. Instead, they stated that the issue arises from stolen credit card information being used by malicious actors to make fraudulent payments. The company has already canceled about 700 of the suspicious payments and is investigating the remaining ones.

To prevent future occurrences, OpenAI is considering implementing additional identity verification procedures for payments. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of cybersecurity and the need for robust measures to protect user financial information in the digital age.

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This is not a case of the company charging customers without their consent, but rather consumers' credit card information being stolen and then used by criminals to make payments.