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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

2 clusters · 6 sources · 15 days · First seen 19 days ago · Last updated 4 days ago

Japan online fraud scams

Overview

In late July 2026 Japanese police reported two large‑scale fraud cases that together cost victims more than ¥12 million. Both incidents involved scammers using the LINE messaging app to pose as investment advisers—one promising stock‑investment returns and the other operating a generic “special fraud” scheme.

By early August, authorities highlighted a shift toward cryptocurrency‑focused scams, with two new cases totalling roughly ¥29 million. The victims, a 37‑year‑old part‑time worker in Shiga Prefecture and a 71‑year‑old woman in Tochigi Prefecture, were similarly lured via social‑media messages promising guaranteed monthly crypto returns. The pattern of using LINE and false identities persisted, but the scale of losses and the emphasis on digital assets increased.

Overall, the reports show a continuation of online special‑fraud operations in Japan, with scammers adapting their pitch from traditional stock advice to cryptocurrency promises, leading to larger financial damages for victims.

Entities

Nagahama · Cryptocurrency scammers · Utsunomiya · Shiga Prefectural Police · Utsunomiya Central Police

Timeline

4 days ago

[CRIME] 6 sources
Japan police report cryptocurrency fraud totalling ¥29 million
Japanese police investigate two cryptocurrency scams that stole ¥8.1 million from a 37‑year‑old woman in Nagahama and ¥21 million from a 71‑year‑old woman in Utsunomiya.
19 days ago

[CRIME] 5 sources
Japan reports two major fraud cases totaling over ¥12 million
Two Japanese fraud cases – ¥11.3 million in Akita and ¥1.23 million in Utsunomiya – involve online investment scams that stole cash from victims.

Sources

fnn.jp · fukuishimbun.co.jp · kyoto-np.co.jp · nishinippon.co.jp · shimotsuke.co.jp · toonippo.co.jp