TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have seized a backfilled with more than 100 million yen from Chinese man believed to be a member of a fraud ring, reports Asahi Shimbun (Oct. 26).
In August, Wu Rong, 38, is suspected of conspiring with an accomplice to pose as a police officer in a phone call to a man in his 70s in Gunma Prefecture.
“Your personal information has been stolen. We’re going to check your cash card and bankbook,” the caller said in carrying out the ruse.
Wu then used the cash card he received to withdraw a total of 5 million yen in cash from ATMs in Tokyo between August 8 and 12.
During questioning on suspicion of fraud and theft, Wu denied the charges. “I don’t know anything about it. I didn’t do it,” he said.
The ring specialized in a scam referred to as tokushu sagi, meaning specialized fraud. Perpetrators of this crime target a victim over the telephone and impersonate an authority figure or relative to defraud money from them.
When police searched a residence in a Toshima Ward multi-tenant building that served as the base of the ring on October 24, they found Wu to be in possession of backpack containing 163 million yen in cash.
Police believe Wu was the one in charge of collecting money for the ring. The investigation is ongoing.
