Nigerian police arrest 11 allegedly linked to romance, investment scams in Japan

Nigerian police have arrested 11 people for suspected involvement in romance and investment scams in Japan, with damages totaling 150 million yen (about $998,000), the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA) announced Feb. 18 following an international joint investigation.

The 11 Nigerian nationals were allegedly involved in fraud cases, including romance scams using social media to take advantage of romantic feelings in victims. An international fraud group is believed to be operating in the country.

This marks the first time foreign suspects involved in social media-based investment and romance scams affecting victims in Japan have been apprehended overseas through an international joint investigation.

According to the NPA, between March 2022 and September 2023, 14 individuals in their 30s to 80s across five Japanese prefectures -- Gifu, Kagawa, Oita, Nagasaki and Okinawa -- were defrauded of a total of 150 million yen.

Victims were contacted via platforms like Facebook by individuals posing as military personnel or doctors. These scammers later communicated through the Line messaging app, claiming they wanted to send luggage to Japan for marriage purposes, and requested money for customs fees. Additionally, there were cases of social media-based investment fraud cases where scammers impersonated celebrities to lure victims into investing.

The NPA's National Cyber Department traced the defrauded funds, which had been converted into cryptocurrency, and found that at least about 56 million yen (around $372,000) was linked to bank accounts belonging to 13 individuals in Nigeria.

The NPA provided information including the names of the account holders to Nigerian authorities through the International Criminal Police Organization in March 2024. Subsequently, local police in Nigeria have arrested 11 since May 2024. Most of the suspects are in their 20s and 30s, with some admitting to using the money for real estate purchases.

Defrauded money is often first transferred to accounts within Japan. By March 2024, the five prefectural police forces had cracked down on nine account holders suspected of concealing criminal proceeds, among other allegations. The nine suspects had apparently been lured into the crimes mainly through social media with offers of jobs converting cash into cryptocurrency.

Source : https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250220/p2a/00m/0na/012000c

Comprehension

How many people were arrested in connection with the scams?
What types of scams were involved in this case?
How did the scammers contact their victims?
What tactics did the scammers use to convince victims to send money?
How much money was lost in total due to these scams?
How did the police track the stolen money?
What role did cryptocurrency play in the fraud scheme?
What international organizations and authorities were involved in the arrests?
How were bank accounts in Japan used in the scam?
What did some of the suspects reportedly do with the money?

Discussion

Have you or someone you know ever received a suspicious message online? How did you respond?
Why do you think people fall for romance or investment scams?
What are some warning signs of online scams?
How can governments and social media companies better prevent online fraud?
Do you think scammers should receive harsher punishments? Why or why not?
How can people educate themselves to avoid becoming victims of these types of fraud?
Should banks and cryptocurrency platforms have stronger security measures to prevent money laundering?
What challenges do international police face when dealing with cybercrime?
What are some ethical concerns related to using cryptocurrency in financial transactions?
In what ways can technology be used both to commit and to prevent crime?

Vocabulary

Fraud – Deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
Romance scam – A fraudulent scheme where scammers pretend to have romantic feelings to deceive victims.
Investment scam – A fraudulent scheme that tricks people into making fake investments.
Cryptocurrency – A digital currency that uses encryption for security.
Impersonate – To pretend to be someone else, usually to deceive.
Customs fees – Charges required to bring goods into a country.
Money laundering – The process of disguising the origins of illegally obtained money.
Law enforcement – Authorities responsible for maintaining order and preventing crime.