Recently, while sipping tea at a Phnom Penh café, I overheard some expats talking about a big scam in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. An 88-year-old man was swindled out of a whopping 17 million yen—over $110,000—by con artists posing as police officers. For someone his age, losing his life savings like that is devastating.
It all started in early July. The elderly man received calls from people claiming to be from the post office and police, accusing him of sending packages to China filled with bank cards and passbooks, and alleging money laundering. The scammers even sent fake arrest documents and a smartphone. Through a video call, they flashed fake IDs and told him he was "under arrest," demanding he verify his cash by serial numbers.
The poor man believed them and, following their instructions, left his 17 million yen in cash at a designated parking lot in two installments. By the time he realized it was a scam, the money was long gone, and he had to report it to the police. Local media reports that the police are investigating this unusual scam and are constantly reminding people not to trust strangers on the phone or hand over cash.
