A “JOOSIKHOISA AIAIKEOMBA” charge on your credit card statement is a purchase at a store or online shop operated by IICOMBINED, a Seoul-based fashion and lifestyle company. “Joosikhoisa” is the romanized Korean word for “Co., Ltd.” and prefixes many Korean merchant descriptors; “AIAIKEOMBA” is a shortened romanization of the company’s Korean name, 아이아이컴바인드. The purchase most likely happened at one of IICOMBINED’s retail brands: Gentle Monster eyewear, Tamburins fragrance and skincare, or the Nudake dessert café, either in South Korea or through a Korean online store.
Why the Descriptor Looks Like That
Korean merchant names reach international card networks through the Revised Romanization system, which transcribes the Korean pronunciation rather than translating the name into English. So 아이아이컴바인드 comes out as something close to “AIAIKEOMBAINDEU,” and card processors often truncate it to “AIAIKEOMBA.” The “JOOSIKHOISA” (주식회사) prefix is the Korean equivalent of “Inc.” and appears on charges from thousands of unrelated Korean businesses.1National Institute of Korean Language. Romanization of Korean Similar cryptic descriptors show up for Korean car rental companies, duty-free shops, and other merchants, all sharing that same prefix.2ScamCharge. AJLENTEOKA JOOSIKHOISA SEOUL
Which Store the Charge Came From
IICOMBINED is the parent company behind several retail brands. If you shopped in Seoul or ordered from a Korean website recently, one of these is almost certainly the source:
- Gentle Monster, the company’s flagship eyewear brand, with more than 80 stores across 32 countries and roughly 80% of group sales.3Yahoo Finance. Gentle Monster Parent Company Lands New Funding
- Tamburins, a fragrance and skincare brand with its own standalone stores.
- Nudake, a dessert café concept often located inside or next to Gentle Monster stores.
- ATiiSSU (headwear) and Nuflaat (tableware), smaller lines within the group.4Inside Retail Asia. ZWC Partners Backs IICombineds Push for Gentle Monster
Most of IICOMBINED’s Korean stores are clustered in the Gangnam, Hongdae, and Seongsu neighborhoods of Seoul, where the company is headquartered.5Innoforest. I.I.COMBINED Company Profile If you bought sunglasses, perfume, or desserts while traveling there, that is the charge.
Verifying the Charge Before You Dispute
Check the basics first. Open your card’s app or website and look for expanded merchant details attached to the transaction; issuers often show a city, district, or merchant category that will not appear on the printed statement. Compare the amount and date against your travel dates or online order history. Look through your email for order confirmations from gentlemonster.com, tamburins.com, or another IICOMBINED site. If anyone else uses your card, ask them.
The full descriptor on your statement may also include location text after “AIAIKEOMBA,” such as a city or district name, which can pin the charge to a specific store.
Disputing the Charge if It Is Unauthorized
If nobody with access to your card made the purchase, you can dispute it. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your maximum liability for unauthorized credit card charges is $50, and most major issuers apply zero-liability policies that eliminate even that.6Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Call the number on the back of your card, or start the dispute through your issuer’s app or website. For the strongest legal protection, the FTC also recommends sending a written dispute to the billing-inquiry address on your statement. That letter must reach the issuer within 60 days of the date on the first statement showing the charge. Include your name, account number, the amount and date, and why you believe it is an error. Certified mail gives you proof of delivery.6Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
You don’t have to pay the disputed amount while the investigation is open, though you still owe the rest of your balance. The issuer must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days, and cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent or send it to collections in the meantime.6Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Different rules apply if the charge hit a debit card rather than a credit card. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises telling your bank promptly; institutions generally have 10 business days to investigate and 45 days to resolve, though foreign transactions can stretch the resolution window to 90 days. Reporting within two business days caps your liability at $50; waiting longer can raise it to $500.7Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Get My Money Back After an Unauthorized Transaction
If the charge looks like part of broader fraud, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov, pull your credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com, and consider a free credit freeze with the three major bureaus so no new accounts can be opened in your name.