Japanese woman loses 700,000 yen in Elon Musk impersonation scam

A 65-year-old woman in Japan fell victim to a sophisticated scam, losing 700,000 yen (approximately NT$138,000) after being targeted by fraudsters impersonating Tesla CEO Elon Musk on the social media platform X. The scammer initiated contact with the woman, sending messages expressing affection and requesting financial assistance.

According to reports, the perpetrator sent messages to the woman, including declarations of love and requests for funds, specifically asking for 500,000 yen and suggesting that obtaining a "fan card" would allow her to meet him. Believing the messages to be genuine, the victim complied with the requests and transferred a total of 700,000 yen. She only realized she had been deceived after the transactions were completed.

Authorities have since taken action, with police arresting a 31-year-old man from Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. The arrested individual is believed to have acted as a "mule" in the operation, responsible for collecting the illicit funds and converting them into cryptocurrency. The investigation into the full extent of the scam and the involvement of other potential accomplices is ongoing.