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Tokyo cops nab 10 in bust of fraud ring that targeted bank cards

Toomasu Haneda
Toomasu Haneda (TV Asahi)

TOKYO (TR) – In a joint operation, law enforcement division in Tokyo and Mie Prefecture have busted a fraud ring that obtained bank cards that were subsequently resold, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 13).

Police have arrested Katsuhisa Murase, a 36-year-old resident of Soka City, Saitama Prefecture,  Toomasu Haneda, 31, and eight other persons.

The suspects are believed to have swindled 150 persons by fraudulently obtaining about 2,000 bank cards between March of last year and this past July.

In May, a member of the ring posing a representative of financial institution falsely told a man aged in his 60s and living in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture that he was eligible for a loan if was able to provide his bank cards.

The cards obtained in such scams were subsequently sold to another fraud group for a total of 150 million yen, police said.

Murase partially denies the allegations while Haneda denies the charges, according to police.