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Japan and Taiwan combat rising SNS and crypto fraud

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 23:02 UTC → 2026-09-11 12:29 UTC · added removed

Japanese authorities continue to face a surge in sophisticated fraud, with recent reports highlighting a significant rise in SNS-based romance and impersonation schemes. In Ishikawa Prefecture, SNS-type romance fraud cases reached 40 incidents by late July 2026, with total damages of approximately 297 million yen—nearly double the amount from the same period the previous year. This includes a woman in her 70s losing 15 million yen to an investment scam via a fraudulent site. Impersonation tactics remain a critical threat to elderly citizens. In Akita City, a woman in her 60s lost 11.4 million yen in crypto assets after a caller posing as a postal worker claimed her package contained prohibited items. In Aomori Prefecture, a woman in her 50s was defrauded of 8 million yen by individuals posing as delivery employees and police officers who used video calls to direct her to leave cash in a mailbox. Law enforcement has successfully intervened in several cases, such as Newer incidents demonstrate the increasing financial scale of these operations. In Shiga Prefecture, a 20-year-old 67-year-old man arrested lost approximately 41 million yen after being targeted on LINE by an individual posing as a Japanese woman. The perpetrator used a scheme involving earning money by taking screenshots of news sites to lure the victim into fraudulent investment opportunities, resulting in Ehime 12 separate transfers. Additionally, an individual in Nagasaki Prefecture and a 76-year-old woman was defrauded in Shiga Prefecture. of 6.9 million yen through investment solicitation. In response to these trends, response, police are intensifying awareness campaigns. In Aichi Prefecture, the Nakagawa Police Station appointed announcer Ajun Shinoda as an honorary chief of police to urge the public to remain skeptical of investment opportunities offered via SNS. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has begun conducting campaigns and training sessions for insurance company employees. These sessions focus on preventing SNS-based investment fraud and educating staff on how individuals may become involved in criminal activities after responding employees to prevent victims from falling prey to ‘dark part-time job’ advertisements on social media. and celebrity impersonation scams.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-11 12:29 UTC Japan and Taiwan combat rising SNS and crypto fraud
  2. 2026-09-03 23:02 UTC Japan and Taiwan combat rising SNS and crypto fraud
  3. 2026-08-19 07:26 UTC Japan and Taiwan combat rising SNS and crypto fraud
  4. 2026-08-14 02:02 UTC Japan and Taiwan combat rising SNS and crypto fraud
  5. 2026-08-01 07:35 UTC Japan romance scams, Taiwan fraud crackdown

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