A "team mission" that was supposed to be a side job:
stop when you hear "pay more to get your money back"

How a team-mission scam unfolds

An offer such as "30 minutes a day, get paid just for watching videos" arrives through a social media ad or text message. For the first few days, you actually receive payments of a few thousand to tens of thousands of won. This is a device to lower your guard.

Next comes a "high-earning mission." You top up a set amount and place product orders on their behalf, and they promise to return the principal plus a commission. This often leads to a team mission in which several people are grouped together.

The rest of the story is almost always the same. A team member failed a mission and a penalty arose, or an ordering error locked the account and you must deposit money to unlock it. Other "team members" in the group chat urge you to pay together. Most of those team members are also on the organization's side.

Among those who reach this point, quite a few took out loans to send money to cover their losses. This is the most heartbreaking part. We have almost never seen a case where putting in more money got the principal back.

What to do as soon as you realize

1. Stop sending moneyWhatever the reason given, do not send more. Even if they frighten you or bring up your personal information, sending money will not end it.
2. Request payment suspensionNotify 112 or your sending bank and ask them to freeze the other account. For team missions, depending on the bank's interpretation, the request may be accepted or refused.
3. Preserve evidenceBefore the chat room is deleted, separately save the entire conversation, the app and site addresses, and the transfer records.
4. Prepare provisional attachment and a lawsuitIf payment suspension is not granted or is lifted, first secure the account holders' assets through provisional attachment, and then seek joint and several damages with all of them as defendants.

Several accounts are combined into one case

Because the deposit destination changes with each mission round, losses are often scattered across 5 or 10 accounts. Filing a separate lawsuit for each account multiplies the cost and time.

So DAEON Law Firm names all the account holders as co-defendants in a single lawsuit. The argument is that each person's provision of an account assisted the same fraud, so they are jointly and severally liable. If this is accepted, there is a chance to recover the full loss from any one person who has assets.

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Written on the basis of Korean statutes in force (National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation) and court precedents as of October 20, 2026. Results may differ with amendments to the law or the facts of each case. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Written and reviewed by Attorney Dongwoo Shin — Ph.D. in Law; certified criminal law specialist and certified divorce law specialist registered with the Korean Bar Association. He handles each case personally from consultation to judgment. About the attorney →
Last updated October 20, 2026