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2 clusters · 4 sources · 20 days · First seen · Last updated

Impersonation phone scams in Japan

Overview

Authorities in Japan have issued warnings regarding various impersonation phone scams targeting businesses and residents.

In Yamagata Prefecture, fraudsters have been impersonating hospital officials to solicit fraudulent contracts for cleaning and disinfection services. In Yonezawa City, victims including a construction company and a self-employed individual have lost millions of yen after being tricked into purchasing disinfectants and transferring funds to designated accounts. Police have recorded 31 reports of such incidents involving real hospital names throughout 2026.

In Fukuoka and Niigata Prefectures, scammers are using different pretexts to extract personal information. In Fukuoka, callers posing as postal workers or police officers have claimed that packages sent by residents contain illegal items, such as forged passports or cash cards. In Niigata, fraudulent calls have been reported where scammers impersonate delivery companies using automated voice guidance to solicit data.

Entities

Yonezawa City · Kama Police Station · Fukuoka Prefectural Police · Muroi Hospital · Kama City

Timeline

  1. 5 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Fukuoka and Niigata authorities warn of rising impersonation phone scams

    Police in Fukuoka and Niigata are warning of rising impersonation scams where callers pose as postal workers, police, or delivery companies to steal personal information via suspicious phone calls.

  2. 24 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Fraudsters impersonate hospitals in Yamagata to scam businesses

    Scammers impersonating hospital officials in Yamagata, Japan, have defrauded businesses of millions of yen by requesting advance payments for fake disinfectant and cleaning supply orders.

Sources

fnn.jp · joetsu.yukiguni.town · jugem.jp · nishinippon.co.jp