Help Sonbul Cafe Recover From Theft

Hello everyone.

My name is Taeil Kim and I recently started a small business in the heart of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn called Sonbul. We are a small cafe and restaurant with an emphasis on community and culture, with hopes of illuminating what makes Korean cooking so special. I want to make space for Korean-Americans and Asian-Americans alike.

Unfortunately, Sonbul Cafe was targeted by an elaborate scam that cost thousands of dollars, and our business is now in jeopardy while we work to recover the funds with the help of the authorities. We’re asking for a little help from our neighborhood friends to help us stay open in the meantime.

According to FINRA (an organization that investigates scams) scammers purchase bundles of information on people put together from data breaches and can use that to target people who might vulnerable, like, say, a new business owner just starting out. [ Julia Carpenter’s reporting! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-a-financial-advice-columnist-got-scammed-out-of-%2450-000/id1577591053?i=1000652173497 ]

Even though scams are extremely common - there were 2.6 million reports of fraud worth $10 billion dollars last year, according to the FTC - it’s difficult for people to come forward because of the stigma attached. Scammers prey on people under duress, and these things can happen to anyone. If you ever find yourself in this situation, check out the FTC consumer website to get advice: https://consumer.ftc.gov/

If you are able to donate even a dollar, it would mean a lot to us.

Thank you for taking the time and hope to see you soon!