“I thought there was a year-end sale because I could buy the clothes I wanted for 37,000 won. The website name sounded convincing, and there were images of the brand logo and official models wearing the clothes, so I didn't suspect anything.”
Office worker Choi In-hyuk (30) recently decided to purchase a product he wanted, the ‘Black Yak Men's Hima WSP Down Jacket,’ after being enticed by an advertisement on a social networking service (SNS) that said it was being sold for 37,000 won. The product's regular price is 699,000 won, and it is being sold for a discounted price of 499,000 won on the official website. On second-hand trading platforms, it trades around 300,000 won.
Fortunately, Choi realized just before completing the payment that the website was not the official homepage but an illegal counterfeit site. He noticed that there were no easy payment options like Samsung Pay or Naver Pay on the checkout page, and he searched for Black Yak on a portal and realized that the site was not the official homepage.
He said, “I wanted to quickly purchase even if I put 10 products in the cart for less than 500,000 won, but I found it odd that there were no payment options, and upon checking, I discovered it was an unofficial fake website,” adding, “It’s chilling to think about what could have happened if I had entered my credit card number.”
According to the industry on the 27th, as the year-end demand for outdoor purchases increases, counterfeit websites mimicking official homepages of outdoor brands like Black Yak, Discovery, and The North Face are on the rise. These counterfeit websites deceive consumers through advertisements on SNS-based online platforms. They illegally post official homepage logos and model photos on their sites and falsely claim to sell products at a 90% discount off the actual prices. They are scam sites that either sell knockoffs or only take money through credit card payments without delivering any goods.
Famous outdoor brands are also closely monitoring the situation. The official homepages of Black Yak, Discovery, and The North Face have posted warnings urging consumers to beware of damages due to counterfeit sites. A Black Yak official noted, “If you discover a counterfeit website or a place selling knockoffs, please report it through our official website,” adding, “We are currently monitoring in real-time and responding to customer inquiries related to this issue.”
A Discovery official stated, “We have set up a dedicated task force (TF) team to actively respond to prevent consumer damages caused by counterfeit websites.” A North Face official said, “In addition to monitoring, we are cooperating with relevant authorities, including customs, to stop the distribution of knockoffs,” adding, “We request the operators to voluntarily shut down immediately upon discovering such sites. If the sites are not shut down or if trademark infringement is severe, we will request an investigation from the relevant agencies.”
◇Difficulties in prior enforcement due to overseas IP addresses... report immediately if you find a counterfeit website or suffer damages.
According to police, counterfeit websites have IP addresses located overseas, making enforcement difficult. They also lure consumers not through search engines but via SNS, complicating real-time monitoring. Even after such sites are identified as fakes, they cleverly change just part of the address to create new counterfeit websites, making complete enforcement challenging. An industry official stated, “Brands are monitoring in real-time, but there are technical limitations,” adding, “Taking immediate measures such as reporting upon discovery is currently the best method.”
What should you do if you have already fallen victim? College student Kang Yeon-ji (22), who unknowingly paid about 1 million won, said, “I saw an advertisement while using SNS, and because there were official model photos, I thought it was real.” After Kang did not receive the product following the payment, she requested a refund via email provided on the counterfeit website but received no response.
The financial industry advises retaining documentation that can prove transactions on the site, such as transaction history, payment amounts, and order sheets. A representative from the Korea Credit Finance Association noted, “Even considering that refund or transaction cancellation policies differ among card companies, having proof like transaction history can increase the chances of a refund or transaction cancellation.” Kang also kept a screenshot of her transaction history and order sheet, leading to a delayed but successful refund.
If you discover a counterfeit website or suffer damages, you can report it to the cybercrime team at your nearest police station or the 'Intellectual Property Infringement One-Stop Report Counseling Center' at the Korea Intellectual Property Office. Counterfeit websites not only infringe on brand trademarks but are also related to the distribution of knockoffs, and they fall under trademark law.
According to Article 108 of the Trademark Act, using or preparing goods identical or similar to someone else's registered trademark or designated products for commercial purposes is considered a trademark infringement. In this case, the trademark holder can file for damages.
A representative from the Trademark Special Judicial Police of the Korea Intellectual Property Office stated, “If a brand trademark holder discovers a counterfeit website and files a complaint, or if a consumer suffers damages after purchasing from such a site, we will review whether it is a matter for investigation and initiate an investigation accordingly,” adding, “This can also prevent similar damages in advance.”