A man in his 30s was sentenced to prison for scamming tens of millions of won from fans of top groups like NCT and ENHYPEN. The scammer stole money by promising fans concert tickets and autographs from their favorite idols.
These incidents are not new in K-pop as many scammers charge a heavy amount from fans in exchange for concert tickets, flight details, and more. Last month, an airline employee was caught selling flight information of K-pop idols to fans and making over 10 million won in profit.
According to recent court proceedings, the 8th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court, led by Presiding Judge Lee Mi Na, handed down a 6-month prison sentence to 30-year-old man, hereafter referred to as A, who faced fraud charges.
A sold fake concert tickets for popular idol groups Enhypen and NCT, as well as the LoL World Cup finals, through an online community. The fraudulent activity took place between November 13, 2023, and March 1, 2024. During this time, he swindled 6 victims out of a total of 24 million won.
A continued to deceive victims by demanding extra fees for “singer autograph fees” from those interested in attending the concert. He also charged victims a “processing fee” of 250,000-450,000 won when they requested refunds. However, it was discovered that A had no connection to the concert officials and did not actually have any tickets to sell.
A was previously convicted of internet fraud on September 26, 2003, and received a 5 million won fine. He was found to have committed the same offense again in less than two months.
The court stated, “The defendant committed the same crime again without any reflection, showing a very poor criminal character.” The court also mentioned, “Except for one victim, the defendant did not fully repay the damages to the other victims,” as the reason for the sentencing.
Devoted fans are willing to pay premium prices for exclusive experiences, tickets, or merchandise. They pay unusually high prices for tickets and autographs of their favorite idols. Despite efforts by entertainment agencies to stop them, scammers continue to target desperate fans, taking advantage of their desire to see their idols.
