Elderly Nagoya woman loses 100 million yen in gold bars to fake police scam

A sophisticated scam has left a 70-year-old woman in Nagoya, Japan, significantly poorer after she was defrauded of gold bars valued at approximately 100 million yen (around NT$19.6 million).

The elderly woman fell victim to fraudsters who impersonated postal workers and police officers. The deception began when a man claiming to be from the post office contacted her, alleging that illegal drugs had been shipped under her name. This was followed by contact from fake police officers via the LINE messaging app, who claimed an arrest warrant had been issued for her and that she needed to cooperate with their investigation.

Terrified by the threats, the woman complied with the fraudsters' instructions. She purchased gold bars on two separate occasions and left them outside her home for the fake officers to retrieve. The scammers then told her she could collect her gold from the Meito Police Station.

It was only when she went to the police station to inquire about her gold that the woman realized she had been scammed. The Meito Police Station is now investigating the incident, and authorities are reminding the public to be vigilant against such fraudulent schemes. A fraud prevention hotline (165) and emergency reporting number (110) have been provided for public assistance.