As online shopping has grown, so has the number of cases where a seller goes silent after payment or refuses a refund. Rather than venting in a review out of anger, following the steps below significantly improves your odds of actually getting your money back.
1Step 1 — Secure your evidence first
- Screenshot your payment/transfer records
- Screenshot your conversation with the seller (order confirmation, refund refusal, etc.)
- Screenshot the product listing page — sites suspected of fraud often take the page down right after being reported
2Step 2 — Get counseling from the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center first
Call 1372 (no area code needed) and you will be automatically connected to your regional consumer counseling center; you can also apply for counseling and remedy online through the website. It is a public channel run by the Korea Consumer Agency, and goes beyond simple counseling to support dispute mediation with the business as well.
3Step 3 — If the problem is with online payment/e-commerce processing itself, the Electronic Commerce Dispute Mediation Committee
If the issue lies in how an online store handles payment or refunds itself, you can request mediation from the Electronic Commerce Dispute Mediation Committee, run by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). You can get an initial consultation through the automated consultation service on their website, submit a mediation request online, or file through Consumer24.
4Step 4 — For disputes over games, webtoons, or streaming payments, the Content Dispute Mediation Committee
If your dispute involves in-game item purchases, loot-box-style items, or content purchases like webtoons or music, the Content Dispute Mediation Committee is the better fit. It is organized into four divisions — games, edutainment, broadcasting/video, and publishing/music/performance — each staffed with specialized mediators, and you can also reach them by phone at their call center (1588-2594).
Services mentioned in this guide
1372 Consumer Counseling Center
A counseling and mediation channel under the Korea Fair Trade Commission for consumer damage related to online shopping and contracts
Phone weekdays 09:00-18:00, online anytime
Operated by · 한국소비자원
Cost · Free
Electronic Commerce Dispute Mediation Committee
A committee under the Korea Internet & Security Agency that mediates e-commerce disputes - such as online shopping payment and refund issues - for free
Weekdays 10:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00
Operated by · 한국인터넷진흥원
Cost · Free
Content Dispute Mediation Committee
An organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that mediates payment and refund disputes arising from games, webtoons, OTT services, and other content - for free
Weekdays 09:00-18:00
Operated by · 콘텐츠분쟁조정위원회(문화체육관광부)
Cost · Free