Samsung, LG , conspired to raise phone prices fined $ 40.1 million

The Korea Fair Trade Commission Beats By Dre (hereinafter referred to as " FTC ") Thursday announced that Samsung Electronics , LG , Pantech ( the Pantech ) and SK Telecom and other mobile phone manufacturers and mobile operators fined 45.3 billion won ( U.S. $ 40.1 million ) in fines , The reason is that these enterprises to bid up the prices of mobile phones , conspiracy to defraud the consumer . The FTC , the manufacturers and operators conspired to raise the price of Beats By Dr Dre mobile phone , and then advertising, says it has to provide consumers with price concessions , such cheating consumers mistakenly think that really buy a new phone at preferential prices . FTC officials said : "These companies use the complexity of the mobile communications market pricing policies to deceive consumers . " This was the FTC fines total of six companies , Samsung Electronics , LG, Pantech , SK Telecom , Korea Telecom (KT) and LG Uplus total of 209 phone false price . Among them , SK Telecom was fined Beats Headphones 20.2 billion won (about $ 18 million ) , Samsung was fined 14.2 billion won (about $ 12 million ) , Korea Telecom was fined 5.1. billion won (about $ 4.5 million ) . In addition to the fine , the FTC also prohibits the companies provide purchase incentives.