| Recently, fraud has been spreading rapidly, with people claiming to have various franchise stores, such as coffee shops and restaurants, sold at a much lower key money rate than the market price, only to receive the deposit and disappear. They act as if they are closing a deal by saying things like, “I need to settle things quickly,” “I have to suddenly move to the countryside,” or “If you sign the contract today, I’ll give you half the price,” but as soon as the deposit is paid, they immediately cut off contact. Fraudsters present business registration certificates, IDs, and store photos to create the illusion of a genuine transaction. They exploit the fact that key money prices vary significantly depending on brand, location, and sales, creating the illusion that "this may be the original price." The same message is sent to multiple brokers and prospective entrepreneurs, allowing them to reap financial benefits by defrauding just a few people, and this trend is rapidly expanding. Actual damage regardless of region or industry Damage is occurring across industries with high demand for new businesses, including cafes, restaurants, health clubs, convenience stores, and unmanned stores. In Osan, there was a case where a scammer approached the customer, promising to sell a cafe worth over 100 million won for 50 to 60 million won, and after the customer sent a deposit of 1 million won, the scammer disappeared. In Hwaseong Dongtan, a case was confirmed in which a franchise headquarters forged approval documents, claiming to sell a dessert cafe at half price, and received 1.5 million won from a prospective entrepreneur. In Suwon's Jangan-gu district, a proposal was made to sell a low-priced coffee brand store at half price, but when the broker requested additional document verification, the other party immediately cut off contact, avoiding damages. In Anjung, Pyeongtaek, a scammer approached an unmanned cafe disguised as a real store, but disappeared as soon as the landlord's confirmation was requested. In Beomgye, Anyang, a scammer offered the unrealistic promise, "If you sign the contract today, all furniture will be provided free of charge." However, upon verification with the franchisor, it was revealed to be a fake transfer without even a change of owner approval. This pattern is occurring across industries, including restaurants, personal training shops, nail salons, convenience stores, and unmanned laundries. “Too cheap” is a warning sign in itself. A significant amount of damage can be prevented in key money transactions by simply following basic procedures. Key steps include ensuring a live phone call and face-to-face meeting with the owner, confirming the franchisor's transfer approval, obtaining the landlord's consent, and verifying the account holder's real name. The key money market structurally suffers from significant information asymmetry and opaque pricing. As fraudulent schemes exploiting these vulnerabilities continue to increase, the most effective way to prevent damage is to immediately question and verify the facts if a price seems excessively low during a transaction. Check the listing: www.remax.co.kr | 
