Ex-Apple employee named Sam Sung remembers when he thought Apple would fire him

Sam Sung's Apple business card went viral in 2012, sparking panic that nearly cost him his peace of mind. Over a decade later, he's Sam Struan—but wishes he'd handled the moment differently.

Sam Struan, now 36, was working at an Apple retail store in Vancouver when someone posted a photo of his business card on Reddit.

The name "Sam Sung" at an Apple Store became an instant internet sensation, and Struan thought his career was over."I was so scared, and I just wanted to keep my head down and stay employed," Struan told Business Insider in a recent interview. When Apple called asking if he knew about the viral post, his first thought was termination—not the job security he actually had.

How Sam Sung went from Apple’s store floor to become a social media storm

Apple's response was swift but protective. The company pulled Struan off the sales floor after a reporter approached him at work. Colleagues were instructed not to identify him when customers came asking for "Sam Sung," and his business cards were confiscated.For months, Struan played along with the ruse, pretending to be someone else when customers inquired. His Scottish accent helped mask his identity over the phone.

The joke eventually faded, but the damage to his sense of security lingered.

Building a new identity beyond the meme

In 2013, Struan left Apple to pursue recruitment work. The following year, he auctioned his old business card and uniform pieces for charity, raising over $2,500 for Children's Wish. But the viral fame—or infamy—continued to shadow his professional life.Business Insider reports that Struan ultimately changed his surname to escape being defined as "an internet joke." He chose Struan, named after a village on Scotland's Isle of Skye. The decision also addressed practical concerns: all desirable social media handles were taken by Samsung, and research shows non-anglicised names can affect job opportunities.Today, Struan works as a consultant and résumé writer in Glasgow. While he doesn't regret the name change, he has one wish: "I wish I could tell my younger self to see it as a funny thing...and enjoyed it for what it was."