iPhone Wedding Snap Fraud Controversy, Company Representatives Sent to Prosecutors
The representatives of an iPhone wedding snap photography company, who disappeared after receiving deposits from engaged couples to capture their precious wedding moments, have been sent to prosecutors on fraud charges.
On the 19th, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul revealed that they had referred Kang and Yoon, representatives of the 'P' brand, to the prosecution for fraud on the 14th.
They are estimated to have taken approximately 150 million won from over 570 engaged couples without providing any refund.
This incident began in November last year when allegations emerged online in engaged couples' communities that the P brand was hiring temporary workers instead of professional photographers for wedding snap photo shoots.
The advantage of iPhone wedding snaps is that they allow couples to quickly receive results compared to DSLR photography while capturing a unique emotional vibe. This gained immense popularity among engaged couples.
However, it was revealed that some companies, including the P brand, deceived customers by employing workers who had only undergone a very short training of around five hours through staffing agencies, posing as professional photographers.
Victims' Pain and Company Collapses
As refund requests flooded in, the companies deceived consumers by disappearing after collapsing.
Jung (29), a resident of Jungnang-gu, Seoul, who requested a refund from the P brand and did not receive it, expressed frustration, stating, "We reserved with the hope of getting decent photos without asking for help from our parents, but being a victim of fraud made me feel like I couldn't trust anyone."
Some victims only received low-quality original photos and did not receive the promised edited versions.
Kang (33), a resident of Seongnam using the 'L' brand, stated, "There were many photos with eyes closed and framing that showed more than half of the floor," adding, "I only received the original and have not received the edited ones that I was supposed to get."
At that time, it was determined that over 31 brands, including P and L brands, had collapsed and disappeared in the same way, impacting at least 4,700 self-organized victims.
The total damage calculated by the victims themselves exceeded 1.16 billion won.
Among them, about 1,400 individuals reported suffering a total loss of over 400 million won from around ten brands, submitting a complaint to the Geumcheon Police Station in Seoul.
Investigation Progress and Future Outlook
The police are currently conducting investigations by assigning specific departments to each brand.
At the end of July, the Dongnae Police Station in Busan sent Kang, Yoon, and two other representatives, C and D from the L brand, to prosecutors on fraud charges.
The investigation is gradually concluding after about eight months since the controversy erupted.
As the controversy escalated and lawsuits began, some companies have been conducting refunds, reportedly processing refunds for two individuals per week since June through an anonymous KakaoTalk chatroom. However, victims argue that those who received refunds account for less than 1% of the total.
A police official stated, "We are investigating separately for each brand related to the wedding snap fraud case," adding, "Investigative results are gradually coming to light."
The legal representative for the complainants explained, "There are individuals who are commonly mentioned, and there are additional individuals suspected of involvement in the case."
Image source: Reference photo for better understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank
