Japan sees surge in special fraud with 181.6 billion yen in losses

Special fraud in Japan is seeing a significant rise in both frequency and severity. According to National Police Agency statistics for the first half of 2026, total damages reached 181.62 billion yen, a 51.7% increase compared to the previous year. This equates to approximately 1 billion yen in losses every single day.

Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated methods to target victims before official pension payment dates. They exploit legitimate documents, such as the ‘Intent Confirmation Form for Public Account Registration’ sent in August and ‘Pension Beneficiary Support Benefit’ notices sent in September, to trick individuals via automated voice guidance. These fraudulent calls often claim that pension payments will be suspended unless certain procedures are followed.

Regional reports highlight specific trends in various prefectures. In Nagasaki, fraudulent phone scams rose to 352 cases between January and July 2026, with total damages increasing by 1.4 billion yen compared to the previous year. This includes a surge in SNS-based investment and romance scams. In Oita, victims of ‘fake police officer’ scams have lost approximately 257 million yen. These criminals impersonate officers from the Metropolitan Police Department or prefectural police, using high-pressure tactics and claiming involvement in criminal investigations to demand money from victims.