TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two men, including an organized crime member, who are suspected members of a fraud ring that swindled victims via online gift cards, reports TBS News (Nov. 22).
In November of last year, a woman, then aged 58 and living in Yokohama, was falsely told over the telephone by a member of the ring that she had accumulated unpaid fees “for a pay-to-view video site.”
The woman was then instructed to visit a convenience store to buy 250,000 yen in Amazon.co.jp gift cards that were later obtained by the ring.
According to the Yotsuya Police Station, Satoshi Kuwata, a 37-year-old member of the Sumiyoshi-kai, and 38-year-old Haroyuki Ochi are the ringleaders. Kuwata, who has been accused of fraud, denies the allegations.
Police believe the ring used similar means to swindle a total of 75 million yen from multiple victims nationwide.
