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Japan police report rise in SNS romance and impersonation fraud
Police in Japan are reporting a rise in sophisticated fraud schemes targeting individuals through SNS, impersonation, and investment lures. In Ishikawa Prefecture, a woman in her 70s lost approximately 15 million yen to an investment scam after being manipulated via SNS and a fraudulent investment site. Ishikawa Prefectural Police noted that as of late July, SNS-type romance fraud cases reached 40 incidents, with total damages of approximately 297 million yen—nearly double the amount from the same period last year.
In Akita City, a woman in her 60s was defrauded of approximately 11.4 million yen in crypto assets after receiving a phone call from someone posing as a postal worker claiming a package contained prohibited items.
Additionally, in Aomori Prefecture, a woman in her 50s lost 8 million yen in cash. The scheme involved perpetrators posing as delivery service employees and police officers, using video calls to instruct her to leave cash in a mailbox and perform ATM transfers under the guise of investigating money laundering.
Entities
Akita Chuo Police Station · Ishikawa Prefectural Police · Mutsu Police Station
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The total damage amount is nearly double that of the same period last year.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A woman in her 70s living in Kaga City was defrauded of approximately 15 million yen following an investment scam initiated via SNS.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] As of the end of July, SNS-type romance fraud cases totaled 40 incidents, with damages amounting to approximately 297 million yen.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A woman in her 60s in Akita City lost approximately 11.4 million yen worth of crypto assets in a fraud scheme.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A woman in her 50s in Aomori Prefecture was defrauded of 8 million yen in cash through a scheme involving impersonation of police and delivery services. www.toonippo.co.jp