As incidents of impersonating managers in the entertainment industry continue, the agencies of Kim Tae-hee and Lee Si-eon have also requested caution.
Story J Company stated on the 24th, "We have confirmed several reports that a crime is occurring where someone is impersonating our manager and committing fraud," and "We do not request money or personal information from individuals for any reason, nor do we show business cards to request purchases of specific items or to make reservations for locations.
Previously, celebrities such as singer Song Ga-in, Lee Sugeun, Lim Young-woong, Jang Min-ho, and Ahn Jae-wook, along with companies like Baro Entertainment, 935 Entertainment, Workhouse Company, and Blitzway Entertainment, had been subjected to fraud involving employees impersonating them, such as no-shows. Even production teams from shows like 'Running Man' and 'Mok-eul-ten-de' have been victimized by these impersonation tactics.
Recently, this 'no-show fraud' has been spreading throughout the entertainment industry, where criminals impersonate celebrities to make high-priced reservations for food or items and then fail to show up without any contact, causing significant financial harm to business owners. Not only are there simple no-show incidents, but crimes are also occurring where payment for items is embezzled.
This type of impersonation fraud is relatively simple but occurs repeatedly, necessitating the public's special attention. Most agencies clearly state a common principle: "We do not request money from individuals outside," and they emphasize that in case of a loss, they should report it to the police immediately.
The Story J Company, which includes Kim Tae-hee, Seo In-guk, Lee Si-eon, Huh Joon-ho, Kim Sung-chul, Kim Da-som, and Tae Won-seok, emphasized, "We recognize the seriousness of this issue and plan to take a tough stance against impersonation and fraud. Please be especially cautious to prevent further damage."
The following is the full statement from Story J Company.
Hello, this is Story J Company.
We have confirmed several reports that a crime is occurring where someone is impersonating our manager and committing fraud. We do not request money or personal information from individuals for any reason, nor do we show business cards to request purchases of specific items or to make reservations for locations.
Such requests constitute illegal activities, and if you receive a contact that you suspect to be impersonation, please do not respond and report it to the police immediately.
We recognize the seriousness of this issue and plan to take a tough stance against impersonation and fraud. Please be especially cautious to prevent further damage.
[OSEN]