Yang Chi-seung warns fans of impersonation scam after losing W1.5b to jeonse fraud

Fitness trainer and broadcaster Yang Chi-seung has urged the public to beware of an impersonation scam in which fraudsters are soliciting upfront payments for personal training sessions in his name.

Yang posted a warning on his social media Sunday, saying he had learned that someone was impersonating him and demanding advance payments under the guise of personal training sessions. "I am posting this urgently out of concern that people who trust me may be harmed," he wrote.

Yang also clarified that he is not currently offering any personal training. "As you may know, I have temporarily stepped away from running a gym and am not conducting any private PT sessions," he said.

He added that even when he was operating a gym, he never requested or accepted payment before meeting a member in person for a face-to-face consultation. "Please do not be deceived by any such impersonation accounts or contacts, and take extra care to avoid financial loss," he said.

Yang built his reputation as a trainer to top celebrities and has been a frequent presence on variety programs. Last year, however, he was forced to close his gym in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, after falling victim to a jeonse fraud involving a dispute over the transfer of building management and operating rights, suffering losses of around 1.5 billion won ($1.05 million). He recently announced a fresh start, taking a position at a service company as a regular employee.