TOKYO, Apr 22 (News On Japan) –
Fraud instances involving criminals impersonating cops are growing throughout Japan, with a brand new tactic rising during which faux arrest warrants are mailed on to victims’ properties.
One such doc was lately despatched to the residence of an aged individual in Aichi Prefecture. It gave the impression to be an official arrest warrant, however was in truth counterfeit.
These so-called faux police scams have been reported in a number of areas.
On April 2, an aged girl in her 80s residing in Niigata Prefecture acquired a cellphone name from an individual claiming to be a police officer. The caller mentioned a gang member in custody had confessed that she was an confederate who had handed over 4 million yen in money.
Following the caller’s directions, the lady reportedly disclosed private info together with her tackle and checking account particulars.
Later, as communication with the scammers continued, a faux arrest warrant bearing her title and alleged expenses was mailed to her house.
The doc, clearly labeled ‘Arrest Warrant,’ raised suspicion among the many girl’s members of the family, who consulted police. Authorities then confirmed it was fraudulent.
Niigata Prefectural Police warned that real arrest warrants are by no means despatched by mail, noting that doing so may permit suspects to flee or destroy proof upfront.
Similar schemes involving mailed faux warrants have additionally been confirmed in Nagano Prefecture, the place police have distributed flyers and stepped up warnings over organized fraud.
Yuto Miyazawa, part chief accountable for crime prevention steerage at Nagano Chuo Police Station, mentioned: ‘Police by no means contact individuals by way of social media. They would by no means demand cash.’
In March, FNN reported from a rip-off base close to the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Inside had been rooms designed to resemble police stations in varied international locations, suggesting that faux police scams had been being carried out in opposition to targets around the globe.
According to the National Police Agency, losses from faux police scams in 2025 totaled about 98.5 billion yen.
The variety of acknowledged instances exceeded 10,000, prompting authorities to proceed urging the general public to stay vigilant.
Source: FNN