TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two employees of a Saitama Prefecture-based internet sales agency for allegedly hacking into a competitor’s customer portals to poach clients
According to TBS News (Oct. 8), the scam is estimated to have caused 180 million yen in annual damages.
Ai Kogo, 38, and Miku Oyama, 40, both employees of the optical internet sales agency “Official” in Tokorozawa City, are accused of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and the Unauthorized Computer Access Prohibition Act.
Between last year and this year, the pair allegedly impersonated representatives from rival telecommunications companies to trick unsuspecting customers.
According to police, the suspects would phone victims and make false claims, such as, “Your previous company no longer exists, so there is no customer service window,” or, “We need your name and date of birth to explain your current plan.”
Armed with this illegally obtained personal information, Kogo and Oyama logged into the customers’ online accounts. After stealing trade secrets and reviewing their current contract details, the suspects would then aggressively urge the victims to switch over to their agency, promising cheaper rates.
Upon arrest, both suspects admitted to the allegations. “I have engaged in fraudulent sales practices several times in the past,” Oyama told investigators.
The scale of the illicit operation was massive. Police have confirmed approximately 3,700 instances of unauthorized access since March 2023. Of those, roughly 2,500 competitor contracts were subsequently canceled.
Police are continuing its investigation, estimating the financial damage to competitors at roughly 180 million yen per year.
