Influencer Kim Seri has found herself in hot water recently. A woman accused the content creator of travel package fraud after she and some of her colleagues were left stranded in South Korea due to not being provided with a return ticket by the Malaysian internet personality’s travel agency. Adding to the frustration, the group also faced issues with their itinerary as well as accommodation during their trip.
The business owner has since apologised and issued a statement to address the incident. She explained that, at the moment, she could not afford to reimburse the dissatisfied customers but promised they would receive a full refund by February 2025. Despite her efforts to make amends, netizens were not entirely convinced, and there were even rumours suggesting that she had fled to Japan to avoid further confrontations.
Kim Seri took to her Instagram Story to deny claims that she had fled to Japan recently saying, “I did not run off to Japan nor do I intend to move there. I’m still in Korea. I’m still here giving my cooperation in the investigations regarding my case,” she said. In a follow-up post, she updated her followers that she had created a WhatsApp group chat with the affected individuals to keep them informed about the refund process.
The restaurant owner also clarified that her travel agency has not accepted, nor will it be accepting any new bookings. They are currently focusing on refunding the group who went on the December trip first, before proceeding with handling cancellations for the already confirmed bookings for January and February of next year. “The phone number given in the official statement is no longer in service. It was my fault for making it public and we’ve received hundreds of messages from non-customers so for now, we have deactivated the number,” she elaborated before adding that her agency will now personally contact the customers regarding refunds.
Meanwhile, back in Malaysia, it was reported that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will continue to investigate the alleged fraud by Kim Seri’s travel agency. Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf also said police had received 24 reports linked to Kim Seri, with losses estimated at RM454,450.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which covers cheating involving the delivery of property. If the influencer is found guilty, she could be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of up to seven years, and could also be liable to a fine or whipping.
