Photo/Illutration The National Police Agency in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japanese and Nigerian police have jointly dismantled a criminal ring involved in social media investment and romance scams that defrauded victims in Japan, the National Police Agency announced on Feb. 18.

Nigerian authorities arrested 11 Nigerian nationals whose bank accounts were used to receive the victims' funds, while Japanese police apprehended nine Japanese individuals for their roles in converting the stolen money into cryptocurrency.

This marks the first instance where overseas suspects have been apprehended based on information provided by Japanese authorities regarding domestic fraud cases.

The NPA suspects that a Nigeria-based fraud syndicate may be targeting Japan and other countries. It is working with overseas authorities to identify the organizers.

According to the NPA, 14 Japanese individuals, ranging in age from their 30s to 80s, were swindled out of a total of 150 million yen ($986,000) between 2022 and 2023.

The perpetrators posed as astronauts, military personnel and doctors on social media platforms, soliciting investments and other forms of financial assistance.

In romance scams, victims were led to believe they were in a genuine relationship and were asked to pay for expenses related to the perpetrator's supposed relocation to Japan for marriage.

21-NATION EFFORT

When tracing the victims' funds, the NPA discovered money was converted into cryptocurrency and ultimately deposited into accounts held by Nigerian nationals through overseas exchanges.

This information led to the arrest of the 11 individuals in the West African country. The suspects reportedly used the stolen money to purchase real estate.

In a separate operation, police in Gifu, Nagasaki and three other Japanese prefectures arrested nine Japanese individuals in their 30s to 70s between 2022 and 2024. 

Suspects converted the funds victims sent to their bank accounts into cryptocurrency.

The Japanese suspects are accused of following instructions from the scam organizers they connected with on social media, some of whom were believed to be based in Nigeria.

In return, they received 5 percent of the converted funds as a reward.

The joint investigation, codenamed "Operation Jackal," was coordinated by Interpol and involved 21 nations, including Japan, the United States and countries from Europe and Asia.

Investment and romance scams on social media have seen a significant rise in Japan since 2023.

In 2024, the number of reported cases reached 10,164, a 2.6-fold increase from the previous year, with damages totaling 126.8 billion yen, a 2.8-fold increase.

Romance scams have become particularly rampant in recent months, especially those involving dating apps.

Related News