Monthly sales of 100 million at age 17? New SNS short-form scam ‘Successful selling multi-level’

The so-called ‘multi-level success seller’ sells their secrets to success using SNS short forms. It is a typical fraud method that builds trust through numerous ‘testimonies’ and free information sessions, then makes people pay a high price for lectures, and then induces other people to join in, turning them into other perpetrators. We looked into the reality of multi-level online lectures that attract not only beginners but also teenagers with the lure of ‘making money easily.’
 

‘The secret to achieving 100 million won in monthly sales at the age of 17’, ‘How to make your parents retire 20 years early’, ‘How to make money with a business model that is not taught in school…’ ’

When you casually flip through social media reels, you often come across videos with provocative subtitles like these that tell you your ‘secret to success.’ Among the many videos, I clicked on the reel titled ‘How to Earn 1,000 a Month with AI Automation Sales’ and a man who introduced himself as a high school student proudly showed off his bank account balance. However, even after watching the video, which lasted about a minute, there was no explanation as to ‘how’ the money was actually earned. Instead, they just listed how quickly and easily they made money, as if bragging. There was literally no substance.

They said they would tell me how to do it by leaving a comment, so I left a comment and immediately received a DM (direct message). When I clicked the attached link without hesitation, the online course payment window opened. The lecture fee is 150,000 won. It wasn't a lot of money, but it was still difficult to find an explanation of what was being taught. Even if I left an inquiry to the seller through open chat, the reply was, “You can find out more details by paying the course fee.”

In fact, if you enter keywords such as ‘high-income side job’, ‘monthly sales of 100 million won’, or ‘how to make money easily’ into the YouTube search bar, similar videos will appear endlessly. Most views exceed hundreds of thousands of times. However, the messages conveyed by the videos are mostly similar, as if they exist as templates. He found a way to become rich after suffering from poverty, and he is ‘willing’ to tell you the secret.

#Secret to Success = Online Side Job = Scam
Particularly dangerous for teenagers who want to make a quick buck.

Ultimately, the profit structure promoted by these lectures is an ‘online side job.’ The fields range from brand promotion placement to YouTube comment part-time work, SNS marketing, and online shopping mall startup. By using plausible keywords such as ‘guaranteed profits’, ‘automation sales’, and ‘AI e-commerce’, they make it seem like anyone can easily become a high-income earner by just listening to the lectures. In the afterword, there is also a ‘testimony’ such as “I started a business after taking this lecture and made a lot of money.”

But the important thing is that these lectures never guarantee actual results. Advertisements make it seem like anyone can make similar profits by following the course, but even if you purchase a course, follow the content, and even submit assignments, it often does not lead to actual profits. This is the so-called ‘fake lecture’.

Additionally, ‘success-selling’ marketing is more likely to influence the youth. This is because in the online environment of teenagers who quickly consume content through SNS short forms and releases, baits with provocative but plausible keywords spread much faster. Platform algorithms also play a role here. Reels and Shorts recommend videos based on engagement indicators such as dwell time and response rate, and the more provocative content is, the longer it is consumed and the more likely it is to spread widely. As a result, there is a greater possibility that the same video will be exposed repeatedly to teenagers who spend a long time using short forms.

Just as the term ‘200 tari’ (a derogatory term for a person receiving a monthly salary of 2 million won) is popular among teenagers, the message that ‘you can easily make a lot of money’ is repeatedly consumed rather than earning money through hard work, and many teenagers view the value of effort itself negatively. In the end, with the cynical perception that even if you study hard, you will only end up as a ‘salaried earner,’ the message that promises ‘easy and quick money’ becomes an even more powerful temptation for them.

#From victim to perpetrator...
A multi-step swamp where it is difficult to prove fraud or get a refund.

The bigger problem with these ‘lecture sellers’ is their ‘profit structure.’ These online side classes often focus on ‘recruiting lower-level salespeople’ rather than selling the course itself. Attorney Park Joo-young of Daeryun Law Firm explained, “On the surface, it appears to be selling lectures, but if the structure is such that a subscriber recruits another person and that person in turn attracts lower-level subscribers, it may be considered an ‘unregistered multi-level marketing scheme’ under the Door-to-Door Sales Act.” Knowledge or information that is not a product, such as online lectures or consulting, is also legally considered a ‘service.’ If a company advertises itself as guaranteeing high profits even though it is difficult to actually make a profit, a fraud charge may apply.

Another problem is that even if actual damage occurs, it is not easy to lead to investigation and punishment. To establish fraud, it is necessary to prove deception (telling false facts) and intent to defraud, as it is often difficult to determine whether it is a simple investment failure or fraud. Additionally, these lectures are often sold and operated through closed online communities such as Telegram or open chat, making it difficult to secure evidence. This is because anonymity is high, conversation records are easily deleted, and the server is located overseas.

As there is a large influx of teenagers, there are many cases where minors pay for expensive lectures without parental consent. Under civil law, you can cancel if you made a purchase without the consent of your legal representative, but if you used your parent's card with permission or lied about your age and signed a contract as if you were an adult, it is not easy to get a refund. Additionally, in the case of digital content, withdrawal of subscription is restricted once use begins. Many companies make it difficult to get a refund by encouraging you to view the course immediately after payment.

Additionally, some youth are introduced as new ‘sellers.’ This is because you can receive an allowance if you introduce a friend or promote the lecture through social media. In other words, a multi-level victim becomes a perpetrator. Just because you are a minor does not mean you are unconditionally exempt from responsibility. Those under the age of 14 are subject to juvenile protection measures, and those over the age of 14 may be subject to criminal punishment depending on the case. Attorney Park warned, “If you simply posted a post once or twice, it may not lead to punishment, but if you directly produced reels or videos, actively promoted them, continuously recruited people, and received profits, there is a possibility that you will be punished for aiding and abetting fraud or as an accomplice.”

When damage occurs, the most important thing is to secure early evidence. Attorney Park advised, “If you have paid for a course, it is important to first immediately request payment cancellation and refund from the company, and quickly report the damage through a platform report or police report.” He added, “Quickly securing conversation captures, deposit accounts, advertising screens, etc. is helpful in the investigation.”

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17 years old and 100 million won in monthly sales? New short-form SNS scam ‘Successful Sales Multi-Level’ (Shortcut)