Elderly Japanese Woman Loses Over $748,000 to Crypto Scammer
-A Japanese woman in her eighties was scammed out of over $748,000 worth of tokens by a crypto scammer.
-The scammer contacted her on her landline and told her that her bank account was under attack and that she should transfer her funds to a crypto wallet.
-Crypto fraud is thought to be on the rise in Japan, with an increasing number of older victims targeted.
A Japanese woman in her eighties was recently the victim of a massive crypto scam. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Tamagawa station reported that the elderly woman had been duped out of over $748,000 worth of tokens.
The scammer contacted the woman on her landline and told her that her bank account was under attack and that she should transfer her funds to a crypto wallet. The scammer purported to be an employee of the local government offices. Believing the scammer’s words, the woman followed his instructions, using her smartphone to open a wallet on a crypto exchange and then using her bank details to buy around 97 million yen (about $748,000) worth of an unnamed token. The scammer also made sure the woman was aware of the wallet’s password.
Unfortunately, shortly after the call, the crypto the woman had bought had “disappeared” from the wallet. The incident is currently being investigated by the police as a special fraud case.
Crypto fraud is on the rise in Japan, with an increasing number of older victims targeted. Japanese government officials have been warning people to be diligent and to not be fooled by scammers. They have reiterated that the police should be contacted immediately if a person believes they are being scammed.
Crypto fraud is no laughing matter, and its effects can be devastating for victims. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is currently taking steps to raise awareness of this type of crime and to ensure that people are better informed about how to protect themselves from these scams.
Ultimately, it is important for people to be careful and vigilant when it comes to their finances, especially when it comes to digital currencies. People should always double-check who they are speaking to and the information they are being given, and if something seems suspicious, they should not take any risks.