Tokyo police arrest eight over gas water heater 'inspection' fraud scheme
In short
Tokyo police have arrested eight people, including Hideki Nukanobu (糠信秀企), 36, the de facto head of Shinjuku-based Daian Setsubi (大安設備), on suspicion of fraud in a gas water heater inspection scam. Tokyo Shimbun reported the group visited about 5,900 people in 19 prefectures over about a year and took in about 850 million yen, while TBS NEWS DIG put the group's total take since January 2023 at about 2.2 billion yen.
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The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Living Economy Division has arrested eight people on suspicion of fraud and other charges over an "inspection sales" scheme in which customers were allegedly signed up for unnecessary gas water heater work, Tokyo Shimbun reported on October 9. Those arrested include Hideki Nukanobu (糠信秀企), 36, of Teramachi, Hachioji, the de facto manager of Daian Setsubi (大安設備), a company in Shinjuku, Tokyo, along with employees. Nishi-Nippon Shimbun also reported the eight arrests. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to Tokyo Shimbun, the suspects are accused of conspiring to visit the homes of four men and women in their 70s and 80s in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima between March and September last year, falsely saying carbon monoxide concentrations were dangerous, and taking a total of 993,300 yen for water heater replacement work. TBS NEWS DIG reported that the suspects allegedly visited the home of a man in his 70s in Tokyo in June last year, proposed an unnecessary water heater replacement and took about 560,000 yen in cash. [ 1 , 3 ]
Police believe the group visited about 5,900 people in 19 prefectures over roughly a year from January last year and took in about 850 million yen using the same method, Tokyo Shimbun reported. TBS NEWS DIG's article gave a larger figure, saying police believe the group approached a cumulative 13,800 people nationwide between January 2023 and January this year and took about 2.2 billion yen. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
TBS NEWS DIG said the group offered gas water heater inspections by telephone, then visited homes and told residents that carbon monoxide was above standard levels and dangerous. A man in his 80s in Tokyo told the broadcaster that a man believed to be from the group came to his home about a year ago posing as a Tokyo Gas inspection, said the heater might suddenly stop supplying hot water, and asked for about 500,000 yen for a water heater and gas stove. The man signed a contract for the gas stove but cancelled it after consulting an acquaintance. [ 1 ]
The Tokyo government ordered the group's company to suspend business for six months in August last year, but the group continued operating, including by changing the company name, and police searched related premises in January this year, TBS NEWS DIG reported. The National Consumer Affairs Center says consultations about water heater inspection sales continue to reach consumer centres nationwide and is urging caution. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The case shows a scheme that, according to TBS NEWS DIG, kept operating under changed company names after the Tokyo government ordered a six-month business suspension. The National Consumer Affairs Center says consultations about water heater inspection sales keep reaching consumer centres nationwide and is urging caution.
Key facts
- Eight people were arrested on suspicion of fraud and other charges over a gas water heater inspection sales scheme. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Those arrested include Hideki Nukanobu (糠信秀企), 36, the de facto manager of Daian Setsubi (大安設備), a company in Shinjuku, Tokyo. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The group allegedly told residents falsely that carbon monoxide levels from their water heaters were dangerous in order to sell replacement work. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Police believe the group visited about 5,900 people in 19 prefectures over about a year from January last year and took in about 850 million yen. [ 1 , 3 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reported that, according to police, the group approached a cumulative 13,800 people nationwide between January 2023 and January this year and took about 2.2 billion yen. [ 1 ]
- The Tokyo government ordered the group's company to suspend business for six months in August last year, but the group continued operating, including by changing the company name, TBS NEWS DIG reported. [ 1 ]
- Police searched premises linked to the group in January this year. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Eight people were arrested on suspicion of fraud over a gas water heater inspection scam. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hideki Nukanobu (糠信秀企), 36, de facto manager of Daian Setsubi in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is among those arrested. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The group allegedly falsely claimed carbon monoxide levels were dangerous to push water heater replacement. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The group is believed to have visited about 5,900 people over about a year, with damage or sales of about 850 million yen. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The group is suspected of visiting homes in 19 prefectures. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The total scale of the scheme. Tokyo Shimbun and the TBS NEWS DIG headline cite about 5,900 people and about 850 million yen over about a year, while the TBS NEWS DIG article body cites 13,800 people and about 2.2 billion yen between January 2023 and January this year.
- The specific cases behind the arrests. TBS NEWS DIG cites about 560,000 yen taken from a man in his 70s in Tokyo in June last year; Tokyo Shimbun cites 993,300 yen taken from four people in their 70s and 80s in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima between March and September last year. The reports may describe different parts of the same charges.
- The nature of Daian Setsubi's business. TBS NEWS DIG describes it as a renovation company, while Tokyo Shimbun describes it as a gas appliance sales company.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the arrest of eight people, including the de facto head of Daian Setsubi. [ 1 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reports eight arrests over the water heater inspection scheme, with visits suspected in 19 prefectures. [ 2 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun reports the arrests and the police estimate of about 5,900 people visited and about 850 million yen in sales. [ 3 ]