TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two members of a fraud ring that swindled victims by posing as relatives suffering from financial trouble related to virtual currencies, an operation run out of a hotel room in Shinagawa Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 25).
During a raid of the room, police seized about 50 mobile telephones and nationwide high school graduation lists containing 500,000 names. Officers also arrested Masashi Yamada, a resident of Itabashi Ward, and Ko Nakazato, a resident of Musashino City, both 21, over the attempted swindle of 1 million yen on June 22 from a man in his 80s living in Hirakata City.
In carrying out the ruse, one member of the ring posed as the son of the victim over the telephone in falsely claiming that he needed money to cover for funds embezzled in a crypocurrency scheme.
Yamada, who has been accused of attempted fraud, has declined to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, Nakazato admits to the charges, according to the Manseibashi Police Station.
In 70 incidents, the ring, which likely includes more than 10 members, is believed to have defrauded persons out of 200 million yen, police said.
