Kochi police impersonation scams exceed 300 million yen in damages

Fraudsters impersonating police officers and prosecutors are targeting victims in Kochi Prefecture. In one recent incident on August 7, a woman in her 30s was told her bank account was involved in money laundering. After being told by individuals claiming to be prosecutors that an arrest warrant had been issued, she transferred a total of 3.92 million yen to designated accounts to ‘clear her name.’

On the same day, a man in his 50s was targeted by individuals posing as bank employees, police, and prosecutors. He was instructed to transfer funds to prove his innocence, resulting in a loss of 2.5 million yen across four transfers.

Since the beginning of 2026, there have been 28 reported cases of police impersonation fraud in the region, with total damages exceeding 300 million yen. Local police have issued warnings that law enforcement officers will never use video calls to contact citizens or instruct them to transfer money to prove innocence.