Japan sees rise in fake police and post office scams targeting residents

In Niigata Prefecture, a man in his 70s was defrauded of about ¥5.25 million after impostors claiming to be police officers and prosecutors instructed him via phone and a messaging app to transfer money to a specified account. His workplace supervisor noticed the man's unusual behavior, contacted his relatives, and helped uncover the fraud. Police stressed that they never use messaging apps to request funds or present official documents such as badges or arrest warrants.

In Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, a resident received a series of suspicious calls in which callers pretended to be a postal worker and later a police officer, claiming a parcel contained a large quantity of medication and urging the victim to file a police report. The callers then asked for personal details. Local police issued a warning, advising the public not to disclose personal information to such callers.