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Need Compensation for an Investment Scam?
Does Any of This Sound Familiar? ✔️ Cryptocurrency / Virtual Asset Scam Patterns You were invited to a high-return crypto investment group through social media or an open chat room. After making a small initial investment, you actually received profits. Once you invested more money, withdrawals suddenly became unavailable. The person in charge disappeared, or the investment platform itself vanished. ✔️ Stock Recommendation Service Scam Patterns It started as a free stock recommendation service. You initially made profits from recommended stocks. You were encouraged to join a VIP group or paid service. After paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars in fees, your losses continued to grow. If any of the above applies to you, there is a significant possibility that you have been the victim of investment fraud. Before blaming yourself, consider whether legal remedies may be available. Why Compensation May Be Possible — Legal Grounds Many victims ask: "I've already transferred the money. Can I still recover it?" In many cases, the answer is yes. Criminal Complaint (Fraud Investigation) Filing a criminal complaint can initiate an official investigation and enable law enforcement authorities to trace bank accounts and investigate criminal proceeds. In addition, asset-freezing measures such as preliminary attachment orders or payment suspension procedures under applicable financial fraud regulations may help prevent the dissipation of assets. Civil Damages Claim Victims may also pursue the return of their losses through civil litigation, either independently or alongside criminal proceedings. Where multiple individuals participated in the fraud, all participants may be held jointly liable under the principle of joint tort liability. This means that victims may seek recovery of the full amount of their losses from any one of the responsible parties. Furthermore, since the implementation of South Korea's Virtual Asset User Protection Act on July 19, 2024, the legal framework for responding to virtual asset-related fraud has become stronger than before. Why Legal Representation Matters Recovering losses from investment scams is difficult not because victims lack knowledge of the law, but because fraudsters deliberately conceal their tracks. Fraud organizations often: Split funds across multiple accounts Operate through multiple entities or shell companies Launder proceeds through virtual assets and overseas platforms As a result, a simple complaint or basic police report is often insufficient to uncover the full structure of the scheme. Even when a case is formally reported, investigations may end with "suspect unknown" or "insufficient evidence" unless the case is properly supported. Effective recovery efforts often require: Early evidence preservation strategies (chat records, bank transfers, platform screenshots, etc.) Experience working with virtual asset exchanges and tracing transactions Coordinated group actions involving multiple victims The ability to pursue both criminal and civil proceedings simultaneously Without an experienced virtual asset litigation team, navigating these processes can be extremely challenging. What Makes Decent Law Firm Different Decent Law Firm operates a dedicated team focused on virtual asset disputes and investment fraud cases. Attorneys who understand cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain transactions, and digital asset investigations approach these cases from an entirely different starting point. Our Experience Includes: Cooperation with virtual asset exchanges and regulatory authorities Simultaneous criminal and civil recovery strategies Representation of groups of victims in collective actions Development of evidence preservation and recovery strategies tailored to victims In investment fraud cases, time is critical. The longer the delay, the greater the risk that assets will be dispersed and evidence will disappear. Prompt action can significantly improve the likelihood of recovery. One Thing You Should Do Right Now Preserve Your Evidence. Keep any materials you still have, including: KakaoTalk or messaging app conversations Bank transfer records Screenshots of investment platforms or applications Wallet addresses and account information Contact details of the individuals involved Even if the other party has disappeared, and even if the platform no longer exists, legal options may still be available. The sooner action is taken, the better the chances of protecting your rights and recovering your losses.
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Collective Bargaining With Principal Contractors: A Successful Strategy Learned From Department Store and Duty-Free Shop Salesperson Cases
Why This Case Matters Now Sales employees working for brands operating inside department stores and duty-free shops have long been caught between two different “employers.” The tenant company that signed the employment contract paid the wages, but the department store or duty-free operator controlled the actual working conditions — including working hours, days off, customer service methods, and even restroom usage. Even when workers demanded collective bargaining, they were often blocked by the response: “We are not the party to the employment contract.” Labor Relations Commissions also frequently sided with the companies. That barrier began to collapse with a single judgment issued by the Seoul Administrative Court on October 30, 2025. Then, with the revised Labor Union Act taking effect on March 10, 2026, the principle was formally incorporated into the law. Key Legal Principles Recognized by the Court ① The Standard of Substantial Control — Expanding the Concept of “Employer” Beyond Contractual Relationships The court held that the concept of an “employer” should not be interpreted narrowly as merely the direct party to the employment contract. Instead, it should be broadly interpreted to include entities that substantially and concretely control or determine working conditions. This reflects the modern reality in which technological development and evolving labor structures have created various nontraditional employment arrangements where labor is provided without direct contractual relationships. ② Scope of Bargaining Subjects — Even Management-Related Issues May Become Negotiable Matters The court recognized that issues such as: Guaranteeing collective rest rights Protecting customer service workers Use and expansion of workplace facilities constitute matters directly related to improving working conditions and therefore qualify as legitimate subjects of collective bargaining. However, the court also clarified that whether the companies were ultimately required to accept those demands was a separate issue. In other words, the court clearly distinguished between: The existence of a duty to engage in collective bargaining, and An obligation to accept the union’s demands ③ Relationship With the Revised Labor Union Act — Applicability Even Before the Amendment Following the March 2026 amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Labor Union Act, procedures for handling correction applications relating to bargaining demands against principal contractors were formally established. However, the court held that even without the legislative amendment, the existing interpretation of the Labor Union Act alone was sufficient to recognize employer status for principal contractors exercising substantial control over working conditions. In other words, even before the revised law took effect, lower court decisions had already recognized that a principal contractor could bear collective bargaining obligations where substantial and concrete control over working conditions existed. How to Prepare for Collective Bargaining With a Principal Contractor What Labor Unions Should Review Identifying substantial control by the principal contractor Designing appropriate bargaining agendas Sending and preserving official bargaining requests Utilizing Labor Relations Commission procedures Establishing solidarity and collective action strategies What Employers Should Carefully Consider Compliance with bargaining notice obligations Risks associated with claiming “we are not the employer” Discussions regarding the scope of bargaining subjects If This Is Your First Principal Contractor Bargaining Case Now is one of the most favorable times to demand collective bargaining, as court precedents and Labor Relations Commission decisions continue to accumulate and the revised Labor Union Act has officially taken effect. However, even a single procedural mistake may result in losing the opportunity to exercise bargaining rights. Decent Law Firm provides comprehensive legal support throughout the entire collective bargaining process involving principal contractors, including: Review of employer status issues Design of bargaining agendas Assistance with bargaining demand procedures Representation before Labor Relations Commissions and administrative courts If you are preparing to demand collective bargaining from a principal contractor, or if your bargaining request has already been rejected, now is the time to seek legal guidance and establish the proper response strategy.
