PSA: Beware Of Unauthorised Websites Selling Korean ETAs For 10 Times The Actual Price
The K-ETA only costs 10,000 won (RM35.80) per person.
By May Vin Ang - 20 Feb 2024, 07:47 AM
Cover image via The South Korean Ministry of Justice has issued a warning to tourists, advising them against using non-official websites to apply for the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) before travelling to the country
On the official K-ETA website, the ministry warns that it has not designated any other agency for K-ETA application.
"Some non-official websites were found to be illegally collecting a higher fee than the official fee and relevant cases have been reported.
"Please be careful to protect yourself from damages due to fraudulent non-official K-ETA websites and agencies," it warned.
According to The Star, many unsuspecting Malaysians have also fallen victim to this scam.
Despite warnings by the South Korean authorities since the visa-free access began in 2021, some Malaysians have still ended up paying up to 10 times more for their K-ETA
As of writing, the K-ETA costs only 10,000 won (RM35.80) per person.
However, many have paid as much as USD99 (RM475) to unauthorised third-party or scam websites.
The homepage of the official Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) website.
Image via Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) Center
These cases often happen when people neglect to check the website's domain name, only to later discover that they did not apply on the official K-ETA website
"I chose a K-ETA website that appeared at the top of the search results, thinking it was an official site. It seemed legitimate," a victim told The Star.
It was only when she was charged USD99 for the K-ETA that she realised that she had been duped.
Moreover, she is now concerned about the legitimacy of her 'approved' K-ETA application and whether she will be allowed to enter the country during her trip.
To reiterate, there is only ONE official website to apply for a K-ETA
The official K-ETA website is www.k-eta.go.kr.
The South Korean authorities encourage travellers to apply for the travel permit at least 72 hours before their scheduled flights.
