Crypto Scam Targets Kiyama Resident in Fake Police Scheme
A 30-year-old man living in Kiyama, Saga Prefecture, lost approximately 4.79 million yen worth of cryptocurrency to scammers posing as law enforcement officers, according to a public safety alert issued by the Tosu Police Station of the Saga Prefectural Police. Nishinippon Shimbun reported that the fraud unfolded over two days in September, beginning with an initial phone call on September 3.
Initial Contact and Social Media Interrogation
During the September 3 phone call, the victim received a call on his mobile phone from a man claiming to be a police officer with the Kanagawa Prefectural Police. The caller alleged that an account in the victim’s name appeared in bank accounts tied to a fraud group currently under investigation, suggesting potential involvement in illegal account trading. When the caller demanded the victim report in person to the Hyogo Prefectural Police, the victim explained he could not travel there. The scammer then pivoted, stating the interrogation would instead take place via social media video calling.
Cryptocurrency Transfer Demands
The following day on September 4, the victim participated in a video call with an individual posing as a Hyogo Prefectural Police officer. The perpetrator claimed that a suspect in custody had named the victim in transactions. To prove his innocence, the scammer instructed the man to deposit funds into a designated account, convert the cash into cryptocurrency, and transfer the assets to a specified digital address. The victim followed these directions and sent the funds, realizing only afterward that he had been defrauded.
Police Warnings and Preventive Measures
The Tosu Police Station emphasized that real police officers never conduct interrogations via social media video calls. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies do not instruct citizens to move funds or purchase cryptocurrency to prove the cleanliness of a bank account. Authorities urge residents to immediately consult the police or family members if they receive suspicious phone calls demanding financial transfers.
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