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Fake police scams in Japan: phone fraud losses hit a record
Japan lost a record ¥142.3 billion to phone fraud in 2025, nearly double 2024, driven by fake police calls. The data and lessons for the US and Brazil.
Japan, known for low street crime, is facing a surge in phone fraud. Final 2025 National Police Agency (NPA) figures, compiled by nippon.com, show 27,832 “special fraud” cases (+32.3%) and record losses of ¥142.31 billion, up 98% from 2024. The driver was the fake police scam, which combines a call, a video chat and often an in-person cash pickup.
How much did Japan lose in 2025?
| Indicator (NPA, 2025) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Special fraud cases | 27,832 (+32.3%) |
| Total losses | ¥142.31 billion (+98%), record |
| Average daily losses | ¥390 million |
| Victims aged 65+ | 51.3% of cases, 59.2% of losses |
| Fake police scam | 11,014 cases, ¥100.5 billion |
| Social-media investment and romance scams (separate category) | 15,168 cases, ¥183.43 billion |
How does the fake police scam work?
Kanagawa Prefectural Police describe callers who claim to be officers, sometimes spoofing a real station's number, and say the victim is suspected of fraud or money laundering or faces an arrest warrant. They move to a social-media video call, show a fake badge or warrant, and demand transfers for the “investigation”. Real police never investigate over social media, send ID images through apps, or ask you to open accounts or move money.
Unusually, many victims are young: most cases involved people in their 30s (2,239) and 20s (1,718), while the largest losses were among people in their 70s and 60s. About 60% of the 2,338 people arrested were ukeko, couriers who collect cash or cards at the door, often recruited through “dark part-time job” ads online.
What are the lessons for the US and Brazil?
- No real authority asks for money by phone; see the government impostor scam (IRS/SSA).
- A video call proves nothing, and caller ID can be spoofed.
- Demands for secrecy are a red flag.
- Hang up, call the police yourself on an official number, and never hand cash or cards to a courier. If you paid, contact your bank and report it (FBI IC3 in the US).
Related: Brazil's courier (motoboy) scam, the Radar and the Quiz.
Fuente
- nippon.com — Japan Data: fraudes especiais em 2025 (dados definitivos da NPA)
- Agência Nacional de Polícia do Japão (NPA) — dados provisórios até nov/2025
- Polícia da Província de Kanagawa — Golpe do falso policial