A few months ago, exposure on social media boosted the Apple device repair business of Wilmer Becerra, a cell phone technician from Santander. However, this same exhibition attracted the attention of the American company, which contacted Becerra to address issues related to image rights.
Although Apple’s request was directly addressed to Becerra, the situation became public when the technician decided to share what was happening with his followers on Instagram and TikTok. At that time, Apple demanded that it discontinue its repair services for the brand’s devices.
The man from Santander received an initial communication from Apple at the end of July of last year, where the company complained about the use of the Apple logo and distinctive elements, the purchase of parts and supposedly posing as an official repairer.
Becerra, facing threats from the tech giant, revealed the full story and mentioned an alleged offer he received from the multinational.
The company reversed its position regarding the legal action and proposed that he join them. Becerra explained that Apple has two figures for the repair of its products: an authorized service and an independent repairer (IRP), where experts can repair devices with a supply of parts, manuals and tools.
Becerra highlighted that the IRP service does not currently work in Colombia and shared details about Apple’s offer: “I think that due to media pressure, they offered something so as not to look bad.” However, he noted that the proposal did not receive significant follow-up from the company.
Despite the controversy, Becerra’s business has seen growth in recent months. He clarified that he did not show great interest in the offer and expressed interest in working as an IRP, obtaining approval from Apple to perform other repairs.
The scare that happened when Apple threatened to sue him: “They said he could receive up to 8 years in prison”
Although the technology giant sent the request directly to Becerra, his case became public since the owner of Wiltech himself told through his Instagram and TikTok accounts about the situation he was going through with Apple. The request made by the multinational founded by Steve Jobs was to suspend the repair service for the brand’s devices.
Faced with this situation, the man from Santander said that he had received a communication at the end of July in which the complaint was made for three specific points: the use of the Apple logo and distinctive elements of the company, purchase of parts and because it was supposedly done go through an official repairer of the brand. Faced with the arguments raised by the Americans, he did not know what to do or how to act, so he proceeded to seek help from lawyers who were experts in the subject of copyright and trademarks, finding a lot of support from his followers on social networks.
During an interview with Semana, Wilmer Becerra indicated that the entire dispute with the multinational began in July of this year.
“That was at the end of July 2023. Apple sent me a statement by email telling me that they were accusing me of irregular actions due to the use of a logo, supposedly impersonating an official technical service, and the use of fake parts. Furthermore, they told me that for all those actions for which they were blaming me I could receive four to eight years in prison. I saw that as a kind of harassment against what I was doing,” Becerra said.
The man also said that he had informed some “lawyers who were advising me, many said no, that this was something very serious and complicated; Others told me that it was a simple statement and not a complaint as such.”
But he took the legal advice that the specialists gave him and responded “defending myself against what they accused me of: I told them that I no longer used the Apple logo and that the photos that appear are old.”
Likewise, he told them that he had no interest in impersonating a service authorized by them and that he would not do so because he would have the obligation to attend to the guarantees without charging: “So that is not a business for me. And about the fake parts, well I also gave them the correct information for them to verify. After responding to the statement, they don’t tell me anything and I publish the letter on social networks. That’s where it all starts and goes viral.” With Infobae