25.08.12.Today News : Teen Part-Timers Run Bank Transfer Discount Scam, Embezzle 50 Million Won from Handmade Chocolate Shop

Teen Part-Timers Run Bank Transfer Discount Scam, Embezzle 50 Million Won from Handmade Chocolate Shop

• Lured Customers into Sending Payments to Personal Accounts with “2,000 Won Off for Bank Transfers” — Caught via CCTV and Transaction Records

Two teenage female part-timers at a handmade chocolate shop in Gyeongju were found to have embezzled about 50 million won by secretly offering fake bank transfer discounts without the owner’s knowledge.

It has been revealed that two teenage female part-time workers at a handmade chocolate shop embezzled approximately 50 million won by conducting a fake discount event without the owner's knowledge.

A shocking embezzlement case has emerged in Gyeongju, where the owner of a handmade chocolate shop discovered that two teenage female part-timers had siphoned off around 50 million won. Their method was deceptively simple: they informed customers of a fake “2,000 won discount for bank transfers” and directed the payments into their own personal bank accounts.

The scheme was uncovered when a customer contacted the shop owner, Mr. A, asking why a discount previously given for bank transfers was no longer applied to cash payments. Surprised, Mr. A explained that the shop only offered a 1,000 won discount for receipt reviews, not for bank transfers. The customer then presented a screenshot of a past transfer, with the recipient’s name matching one of the part-timers.

Reviewing CCTV footage, Mr. A saw the part-timers showing customers their phone screens, pointing to account details, and hiding the notice after payments. They even received deposit notifications mid-shift. Further checks revealed that the two had been regularly encouraging customers to pay via bank transfer into their personal accounts, spending the proceeds on shopping and food deliveries. Evidence also included body camera footage from a friend of the owner posing as a customer.

The loss was estimated at 50 million won. After replacing the workers, the shop recovered a month’s worth of lost sales in just 10 days. Considering their age, Mr. A decided not to press charges and instead notified their parents, who promised full repayment.

“I trusted them, and the betrayal is hard to swallow,” Mr. A said, adding, “I hope this serves as a warning to other small business owners.”

One-line summary : Two teenage part-timers at a handmade chocolate shop in Gyeongju embezzled 50 million won through a fake bank transfer discount scheme, exposed by customer tips and CCTV footage.