US Edition
Over the Moon: Fake astronaut scams lovestruck Japanese octogenarian
A scammer impersonated an astronaut in distress online, exploiting the victim's loneliness and trust to steal about $6,700, highlighting risks for Japan's older population.
- An elderly woman in Hokkaido lost about $6,700 to a scammer posing as an astronaut in distress, as reported by local police.
- The romance scam started on social media in July when the woman developed feelings for the fraudster, according to investigative sources.
- Americans lost over $1 billion to romance scams in 2023, and about half of dating site users faced attempted scams, revealed by the US Federal Trade Commission.
- Officials warn seniors are often targeted by scams, particularly in Japan, which has a highly aging population, as reported by local media.
56 Articles
56 Articles
A woman over 80 years of age in Japan lost thousands of dollars after she was kidnapped by a person she loved online and claimed she was an astronaut who needed money to prevent a disaster in space, according to the police.
He Said He Was Stuck in Space, So She Opened Her Wallet
And you thought the AI-generated Brad Pitt scam was unbelievable. In a new case, an elderly Japanese woman was tricked out of thousands of dollars by a scammer claiming to be an astronaut stranded in space. The "romance scam" began in July when the two connected on social media, reports...
'Need To Buy Oxygen In Space': Fake Astronaut Scams Japan Woman Of $6,700
A Japanese octogenarian was swindled out of thousands of dollars after falling in love online with a self-described astronaut who sought her help to avert a spaceship crisis, police said Tuesday.
The woman, who lives in the north of the island of Hokkaido, met a crook on social networks who presented herself as an astronaut, who took money from him and assured him of being "in space on board a spaceship".
A woman about 80 years old in Japan was taken out of the equivalent of nearly 6,000 euros by an individual pretending to be an astronaut. The scammer claimed to be stuck in space and needing money to get oxygen. - She falls in love with a fake astronaut, he scams it of 6,000 euros (International).
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
