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Elderly woman conned by romance scammer posing as stranded astronaut
An 80-year-old woman transferred about 1 million yen to a fraudster exploiting her loneliness via social media in a romance scam involving a fake astronaut identity.
- On August 30, 2025, authorities in Hokkaido reported that an elderly woman from Sapporo was deceived out of nearly one million yen by an individual who pretended to be a space traveler in distress.
- The scam began in July when the woman met the fraudster on social media, who groomed her through fabricated photos and affectionate messages to build trust.
- He convinced her that he was currently in space on a spaceship facing an emergency and urgently required funds to purchase oxygen, prompting her to buy digital currency from five convenience stores.
- Authorities highlighted that romance scams often take advantage of loneliness, particularly among Japan’s elderly population, and warned people to remain alert by stating that any unexpected requests for money from individuals encountered online should be treated with suspicion and reported without delay.
- This case reflects a rising global trend, with romance scams increasing 20% year-on-year in early 2025 and causing billions in losses worldwide, prompting calls for stronger platform safeguards and public awareness.
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21 Articles
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After a few exchanges, the con artist, who claimed to be aboard a spaceship, told the Japanese that he was "attacked and needed oxygen."
A spatial ball, that of the fake astronaut who fooled an elderly lady to extort her money. It happened in Japan, on the outskirts of Sakkoro, on the island of Hokkaido. The country, in addition to being among the most prolific and innovative in the race for space, is also the second in the world, after Italy, for average number of elderly. It may be that the Japanese ladies have a particular charm towards aerospace technology, but the anthology …
Japanese Woman Duped Out of 1 Million Yen in Shocking Online Romance Scam After Fraudster Poses as Astronaut Stranded in Space Desperately Begging for Money to Buy Oxygen | 🌎 LatestLY
An 80-year-old woman from Hokkaido lost nearly 1 million yen after being duped by a scammer posing as an astronaut stranded in space who needed money for oxygen. Police said the fraudster built trust through weeks of online grooming. Authorities have urged seniors to stay alert as romance scams surge globally. 🌎 Japanese Woman Duped Out of 1 Million Yen in Shocking Online Romance Scam After Fraudster Poses as Astronaut Stranded in Space Despera…
In Japan, a senior has fallen for an online fraudster who pretended to be a spaceman. Sounds quirky – but on third parties, so-called romance scams often seem absurd. And yet many work.
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