TOKYO (TR) — Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four men for operating a fraudulent electrical repair service that extorted money from unsuspecting residents under the guise of emergency home maintenance, reports Nippon News Network (April 10).
Operating under the flashy moniker “Mach Electric Repair,” the group, including 31-year-old Kento Matsumoto, allegedly abused search engine listing ads to ensure their website targeted panicked homeowners experiencing power issues.
The site lured victims with slick promises, boasting: “Professionals will resolve it the same day! Mach Electric Repair provides clear accounting with prior estimates and absolutely no additional fees!”
In reality, investigators say the website was merely a front for a syndicate designed to push entirely unnecessary electrical and wiring work, ultimately defrauding customers out of exorbitant cash fees.
According to a female victim who spoke with the network, the suspects inspected her home and falsely insisted her breaker required immediate and costly repairs. She contacted the police shortly after handing over the cash, but says her money has yet to be returned.
The syndicate’s predatory activities have also caused severe collateral damage to an innocent business. While on job sites, the suspects allegedly presented themselves as employees of Masaru Densetsu, a legitimate electrical company in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The legitimate company was inundated with furious complaints from the scam’s victims. “People were calling and accusing us, saying, ‘You’re running a scam operation, aren’t you?'” a representative for the Masaru Densetsu lamented.
Police are continuing to investigate the full scope of the syndicate’s crimes and are urging the public to be cautious of predatory online repair advertisements.
