Nearly 60 Billion Yen! Japan's First-Half Telecom Fraud Hits Record High

According to the latest data released by Japan's National Police Agency, the total amount lost to phone and social media scams in the first half of this year reached 59.73 billion yen (approximately 2.92 billion RMB), setting a record high for the same period.

Notably, in recent years, Japan has seen a surge in fraud cases where criminals trick elderly individuals into transferring money to designated accounts via ATMs. In response, the National Police Agency stated it is considering imposing withdrawal and transfer limits for individuals aged 75 and above when using ATMs.

Telecom Fraud Hits Record High

Data released by Japan's National Police Agency on August 1 showed that scam calls and social media fraud in the first half of 2024 totaled 59.73 billion yen (about 2.92 billion RMB), marking the highest figure for the same period on record. NHK reported that this amount is roughly 2.6 times higher than the same period last year and the highest since records began in 2004.

Additionally, Japanese police received over 13,000 reports of such fraud cases in the first half of the year, also a historic high—an increase of more than 4,200 cases compared to the same period last year.

The National Police Agency also warned of a sharp rise in "fake police scams" across the country.

In these scams, fraudsters impersonate police officers, call potential victims, and display fake police IDs or arrest warrants during video calls, coercing victims into transferring money to designated accounts under the pretext of their involvement in criminal cases. Such cases accounted for 65% of total fraud losses in the first half of the year.

Another notable trend is that young adults in their 20s and 30s are increasingly becoming prime targets. Statistics show that victims aged around 30 made up 21% of all telecom fraud cases—the highest proportion among all age groups—followed by those in their 20s at 19%.

The National Police Agency revealed that fraud groups posing as law enforcement use automated dialing systems to mass-contact potential victims, leading to a sharp increase in such scams. The agency strongly urged the public not to trust strangers' requests for money transfers, as the police would never issue such instructions.

Furthermore, due to the frequent occurrence of scams targeting the elderly—where they are tricked into transferring money via ATMs—the National Police Agency is considering imposing withdrawal and transfer limits for individuals aged 75 and above when using ATMs.