Japan sees increase in SNS romance and investment scams targeting men

Police in Japan reported two separate social‑media fraud cases in June 2026. In Kochi Prefecture, a man in his 40s was deceived by an online profile posing as a woman, leading him to invest ¥400,000 in a purported gold‑trading scheme after being persuaded with personal messages and photos.

In Iwate Prefecture, a man in his 60s was lured by a woman he met on SNS into buying cryptocurrency. After attempting to cash out, he was told his account was frozen and was compelled to send additional funds, ultimately losing about ¥22 million. Both incidents prompted police warnings to avoid trusting strangers online who raise financial proposals.