An 80-year-old woman living in Hokkaido, Japan, was deceived by a fraudster who introduced herself as an astronaut through the internet and lost nearly 1 million yen (approximately $6,500). This was reported by The Independent.
According to the information, the elderly man met this person in July through social networks. He established himself as a cosmonaut and tried to establish a romantic relationship with the woman. Over time, the woman, living alone, developed warm feelings towards this person. Later, the fraudster informed the woman that she had been attacked in space and demanded funds for oxygen. Thus, the old man believed the fraudster's deception and transferred money to him.
Hokkaido police warned residents: "Be careful if someone you meet online asks for your financial help. This could be a scam. Immediately report to law enforcement agencies."
In Japan, the majority of the population consists of the elderly. According to the World Bank, the country ranks second in the world among countries with an elderly population. That's why online scammers often target the elderly and use deception schemes, as it's easier to get money this way.
A common method in such situations is to call or send a message on behalf of relatives, saying "this is me." Cases of "romantic fraud" are also increasing. In the first 11 months of 2024 alone, 3,326 cases of "romantic fraud" were registered in Japan. This is twice as much as in the same period of 2023. The total damage is about 34.6 billion yen (approximately 174 million pounds sterling).
This incident once again demonstrates the importance of being cautious when making online acquaintances. Especially the older generation and lonely people need to be more cautious and maintain vital thinking in relationships learned through the internet. Because it can ask for a lot of information and trust from everyone, and this should not be taken as a simple interest.
Also, in online dating, it is never superfluous to disclose financial information and thoroughly verify it before sending money. Awareness of online scammers is the strongest protection.
This incident in Japan became a real life lesson, clearly showing that romantic relationships on the internet also have problems and dangers. The main conclusion from this story: caution and rational decisions in love and trust on the internet are of great importance in human life.
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