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Coupang fresh food scammer dodges slammer

Published: 03 Mar. 2025, 14:11 Updated: 03 Mar. 2025, 17:17

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

Coupang delivery trucks are parked in Seoul on June 13, 2024. [YONHAP]

A woman in her 20s who placed over 1,500 orders with a fresh food delivery service only to fraudulently return them and pocket the refunded money has been sentenced to prison time.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the woman to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of fraud, according to the legal community on Monday.

From Nov. 30, 2023, to April 1, 2024, the woman ordered products through e-commerce platform Coupang’s Rocket Fresh service 1,638 times, requesting refunds after receiving deliveries despite there being no problems with the produce.

She fraudulently obtained over 31.8 million won ($21,770) using this method.

The woman exploited the company’s policy, which allows customers to request a return in the case of product or delivery issues, upon which the buyer discards the item themself while having a refund issued.

The woman deceived third parties by offering to place orders for them at a discounted price, taking their money. She then ordered the items — milk, cheese, butter, vegetable, fruit and others — and filed return claims, pocketed the money, and never delivered the goods to third parties.

“Her methods were premeditated, and the severity of the crime is not minor," said the court.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]