Nagasaki man in his 70s loses ¥7 million in police impersonation scam
In short
A man in his 70s in Nagasaki was defrauded of ¥7 million by people posing as law enforcement officials, Japanese outlets reported. He left the cash in a plastic bag on his home's gate, and someone took it, according to Nippon TV News.
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A man in his 70s living in Nagasaki was defrauded of ¥7 million in a scam involving people claiming to be law enforcement officials, Nippon TV News and TBS NEWS DIG reported, citing police. Nippon TV News said the man put the money in a plastic bag and hung it on the gate of his home. Someone then took it. Nishi-Nippon Shimbun's headline also described the loss and the cash left on the gate. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The contact began on September 11, when the man received an email from a sender claiming to be an NTT general centre, according to the two broadcasters. TBS NEWS DIG reported that the message claimed his mobile phone had duplicate contracts and would be suspended. Concerned by the message, he called the number it listed. A woman who answered then transferred him to another woman claiming to be a detective in a police cyber organised crime division, TBS reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
The purported detective told him that an arrested offender had been using a mobile phone in his name and that he would be arrested, TBS NEWS DIG reported. The call was subsequently transferred to a man claiming to be a prosecutor. That caller said arrest could be waived but cash had to be prepared, and instructed him to withdraw ¥1 million from an ATM and wait with it in a chest of drawers at home. [ 2 ]
TBS NEWS DIG said the man was asked by telephone over several days to withdraw cash and eventually prepared ¥7 million. Nippon TV News reported that he believed the callers' threats of arrest and their claim that preparing money could exempt him from it. It said the cash was taken after he placed the bag on his gate. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The reports describe threats of arrest used to persuade the man to prepare cash. TBS NEWS DIG says he was instructed over several days to withdraw money, eventually assembling ¥7 million.
Key facts
- The victim was a man in his 70s living in Nagasaki who lost ¥7 million. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The contact began with an email on September 11 from a sender claiming to be an NTT general centre. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He called the number in the email and was told he faced arrest. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He left a plastic bag containing ¥7 million on his home's gate, where it was taken. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The identities of the callers and the person who collected the money are not established in the supplied reports. The reports describe assumed official roles but provide no identified suspects or arrest information.