An 80-year-old girl in northern Japan has misplaced a million yen (about £5,000) after falling sufferer to an elaborate on-line romance rip-off involving a fraudster who claimed to be an astronaut stranded in house.
In line with Hokkaido police, the sufferer met the scammer on social media in July and developed a web based relationship with him.
Posing as an astronaut, the fraudster ultimately satisfied her that he was “in house on a spaceship” and underneath assault, claiming he urgently wanted cash to purchase oxygen.
The lady, who lives alone, was persuaded to switch the funds earlier than police later recognized the case as a romance rip-off. Officers have since issued warnings urging the general public to stay cautious when approached for cash by people they meet on-line.
Romance scams, wherein criminals exploit victims looking for companionship, have been on the rise globally. Many victims are deceived into sending giant sums of cash to individuals they imagine they’re in real relationships with.
Final yr, a Sky Information investigation uncovered large-scale fraud operations in Southeast Asia, the place so-called “rip-off factories” prepare employees to trick victims into on-line playing schemes or fraudulent romances. One former scammer revealed how fraudsters manipulate feelings to make victims fall in love and ultimately half with their financial savings.
Authorities in Japan have urged residents, particularly the aged, to stay vigilant and search recommendation from household or police earlier than transferring cash to on-line acquaintances.
The publish 80-year-old Japanese woman scammed by ‘astronaut stranded in space’ appeared first on Vanguard News.
