Taking advantage of free yearbook photos to 'pickpocket' veterans?

(Baonghean.vn) – Taking advantage of the name of taking free yearbook photos for veteran members, a company in Hai Phong City is 'picking the pockets' of people with 'exorbitant' prices for a worthless sign.

On the afternoon of July 22, through the hotline, a resident of Yen Due block (Dong Vinh ward, Vinh city) reported to Nghe An Newspaper that there is currently a group of people from the North in the ward taking advantage of the name of taking free graduation photos to "pickpocket" the residents. These people only take a portrait photo and attach it to a board but charge an exorbitant price of 370 thousand VND/photo.

Many veterans of Yen Due block (Dong Vinh ward, Vinh city) came to the block's cultural house to take photos for their yearbook and were "persuaded" to make a board for 370,000 VND/board. Photo: Nguyen Hung

At the Yen Due cultural house, a large number of people were gathered here. On both sides of the entrance, there were 4 people (2 men, 2 women) working busily. Every now and then, a woman would hold a sign with a picture of a veteran member to invite people.

According to this person, this year marks the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Veterans Association, so members should make a plaque to hang in their homes as a souvenir. This person did not forget to announce that each plaque costs 370,000 VND and that the money will be collected on the day the yearbook is handed over to the branch.

Present at the block cultural house, Mr. Le Van Linh - Deputy Head of the Yen Due Block Veterans Association said: These people are taking photos for the yearbook of the association members. Whoever wants to make a commemorative plaque can do it, it is voluntary, whoever does not like it can do it. When asked who introduced this group of people to the block, Mr. Linh said that there were company officials who went to work with the ward, the ward deployed them to the veteran associations.

When the veterans of the Yen Due bloc arrived at the bloc’s cultural house, a branch cadre wrote down information about their names, dates of enlistment, units, ranks, battlefields, etc. on a pre-printed piece of paper. This piece of paper was given to the woman, who then took the members to take portrait photos. Next, two young men sat in front of a computer using Photoshop to edit the members’ photos, add badges, medals, etc., and enter the information available on the paper.

Not stopping there, these people tried to entice and persuade veterans to make a board that they called a "memorial board". A woman showed a sample board and convinced the members to agree to make it with the reason "to commemorate the life of a soldier".

Company officials tried to entice veterans to spend 370,000 VND to make a plaque just to "commemorate their military life". Photo: Nguyen Hung

Looking at the board, in addition to the photoshopped photos of veteran members, there is also a photo of General Vo Nguyen Giap. At the top is the line “A time to remember”, in the left corner is the badge of the Vietnam Veterans Association, below is the line Local Veterans Association. The board also prints some basic information such as name, year of birth, year of enlistment and combat unit. However, the board does not have any information about the issuing agency, seal, signature, or date.

Many people, when offered, mistakenly thought this was a plaque donated by the Veterans Association. Even though they knew the price was high, they still accepted to do it with the hope of having something to hang in their home.

When asked about the value of the plaque, a woman named Trinh, an employee of the company, said: “This is just a plaque for veteran members to commemorate their military service and to build the movement. The images on the plaque are just symbols. If there is a seal and signature, it is a gift, no need to pay.”

According to this woman, she is an employee of Son Huy Company in Hai Phong City. “The company came here to take free yearbook photos for veteran members to make a yearbook, but through that, it is to promote the brand and products of the company. We only invite, whoever wants to do it, we cannot force them,” she said.

A woman named Trinh, who introduced herself as an employee of Son Huy Company in Hai Phong City, said that the image on the sign was only symbolic. Photo: Nguyen Hung

With a mica plastic board, also surrounded by plastic, but the company staff charged 370 thousand VND, many people think that is too expensive. Because in the market, with the corresponding material, the price of a board is only about 100 thousand VND.

Explaining this issue, Ms. Trinh said that the board has 2 sizes and costs 270 thousand and 370 thousand VND respectively. She gave a list of people who made it and said: "Mr. Son, the chairman of the Ward Veterans Association, also made the board for 270 thousand VND."

Affirming that he had made one but did not know the price, Mr. Ta Van Son - Chairman of the Veterans Association of Dong Vinh Ward (Vinh City) said: This company was introduced by the City Veterans Association. Making the yearbook is free according to the list of branches, but making the portrait photo is strictly regulated, whoever does it can do it, whoever does not do it can not do it.

“This company has done it in 3 blocks (Vinh Yen, Vinh Thinh, Vinh Thanh), Yen Due is the 4th block. I also thoroughly instructed my brothers to pay close attention to that issue. Only those who have a need can do it, they can mobilize, but members cannot be forced to do it. Yesterday at the meeting, I thoroughly instructed my brothers in the branches that taking photos at a maximum of 200,000 VND/photo is acceptable.”

This board is collected by the company for 370 thousand VND/board. Photo: Nguyen Hung

Regarding the plaque with the insignia of the Vietnam Veterans Association as well as the name of the local association, Mr. Son said that he would have the staff check it again. However, Mr. Son also affirmed that the plaque with the portrait was not given by the Veterans Association and therefore has no value.

Nguyen Hung