Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Phone Repair Scams, Fraud, and Stalking

A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by the Chuncheon District Court for a series of fraud, stalking, and assault charges. Identified as 'A', the man was found guilty of defrauding 12 individuals out of a total of 49.49 million won (approximately $36,000 USD) between September 2025 and February of the current year.

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I won't report you to the police, so just give me the repair money.

His primary scam involved deliberately bumping into pedestrians in university areas and bus terminals across Chuncheon, Hongcheon, and Seoul. He would then drop a pre-damaged mobile phone and demand money for repairs, often using threats such as "I won't report you to the police, so just give me the repair money" or "Don't make a big deal out of this." He also falsely claimed that involving parents would lead to jail time.

Beyond these street-level scams, 'A' also defrauded two former girlfriends. He borrowed money for towing fees and other expenses, totaling 18.84 million won, which he never repaid. His abusive behavior extended to one ex-girlfriend, whom he contacted over 160 times after their breakup, sending messages even with a 1-won transfer, and engaging in physical assault.

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Don't make a big deal out of this.

The court cited the "poor criminal intent" of the defendant's methods, the frequency of his offenses, and the significant amount defrauded, totaling 68 million won across all charges. The court also noted his uncooperative behavior during the investigation, including evading authorities and providing false information about his whereabouts, as factors contributing to the sentence. In addition to imprisonment, 'A' was ordered to complete 40 hours of a stalking treatment program.

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The criminal intent is poor, considering the methods of crime, the number of offenses, and the relationship between the defendant and the victims.