Japan police warn of SNS investment scams defrauding victims of millions

Police in Toyama Prefecture reported that a woman in her 60s was lured through a video ad on a social‑media platform into a LINE investment group, where she was instructed to transfer money repeatedly. Between March and April she sent a total of about ¥60 million, believing she would receive profit shares, before the scammers vanished.

In Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, a man received emails claiming he could earn a reward by lending his name and paying a registration fee. He purchased electronic‑money cards and transferred the funds as instructed, after which the money was stolen.

Aomori Prefecture announced that a woman in her 20s was approached on a social‑media app with a false job offer to trade foreign currency. She was told to install the Bitbank crypto exchange, bought Ethereum, and sent ¥500,000 to a provided address. The assets were later claimed to have multiplied, but the scammers cut off contact, resulting in a loss of the entire amount.

Authorities in each region issued alerts urging the public not to send money without verification and to report suspicious requests to the police.