Recently, some Taiwanese went to Japan to work undercover and commit gold fraud, and were arrested by the Japanese police. (AFP)
Lin Yuhua/Copy Editor
[Financial Channel/Comprehensive Report]Recently, there have been reports in Japan of many cases of Taiwanese people going to Japan to apply for “dark part-time jobs” (安バイト) and being arrested by the Japanese police for fraud. Japanese media “Asahi Shimbun” pointed out that many Taiwanese people who were less involved in the case told the Japanese police that “as long as they can make money, they can do anything.”
According to reports, the Japan Metropolitan Police Department is worried that the recruitment of “enforcers” may expand overseas, and has begun to increase its vigilance. In the future, the immigration inspection for Taiwanese tourists traveling to Japan may become more stringent. .
From the 3rd to the 7th of this month, the Japanese police arrested two men from Taiwan, aged 20 and 39, on charges of attempted fraud. They are suspected of conspiring with others to impersonate Japanese police officers and call a man in his 70s in Nakano Ward, Tokyo.
The two men claimed to the old gentleman, “Your mobile phone is involved in fraud and an arrest warrant has been issued”, “You need to hand over the gold nuggets to the IRS as evidence” and other words, trying to defraud the other party of 90 million yen (approximately NT$100,000). NT$18.7 million), a gold nugget weighing 7 kilograms.
However, because the old man felt suspicious, he called 110 to report the crime. The crime case was exposed and the two Taiwanese men were arrested. In addition, the police in Nerima Ward, Tokyo also uncovered a similar fraud case in September this year. The same three Taiwanese men and women used similar techniques to defraud gold.
According to Japanese investigators, after being arrested, a Taiwanese man in his 20s confessed to the police that he was involved in the case when he saw a recruitment advertisement on Facebook at the end of October this year that said “easy and fast job.”
After clicking on it, he was directed to an account on the messaging software “Telegram”. After contacting the other party, he was told that “you can make money quickly by working abroad.” He provided his name and phone number to the other party. The specific amount would have to wait. You won’t find out until the work is over.
The police said that the man received the notice from the other party one month later and went to Japan, but was not told what work he was going to do. At the same time, an old man in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, received a call from a fraud group.
These Taiwanese people were asked why they went to Japan to engage in fraud crimes. The 20-year-old man who was arrested told the Japanese police that as long as he could make money, he could do whatever he wanted, so he took the job.
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Cross-Border Gold Fraud Scheme Targets Elderly in Japan
Concerns are rising following several cases of Taiwanese nationals engaging in gold-related fraud schemes in Japan, highlighting the vulnerability of elderly residents and the increasing sophistication of transnational criminal organizations.
Senior Editor of world-today-news.com Dr.Emily Carter speaks with Dr. Kenzo Tanaka, a renowned criminologist and expert on transnational crime syndicates, about these disturbing developments.
The Modus Operandi: Impersonating authorities to Steal Gold
Dr. Carter: Dr. Tanaka, can you explain how these gold fraud schemes typically operate?
Dr. Tanaka: These criminals typically target elderly individuals by posing as Japanese police officers. They contact their victims by phone, claiming that their mobile phones have been implicated in fraudulent activities. To "resolve" the issue, they instruct the victims to hand over gold nuggets as evidence, promising a swift resolution and the return of their valuables.
Dr. Carter: It's alarming that these perpetrators are exploiting trust in law enforcement. How are they managing to recruit individuals for this illegal activity?
Recruitment Tactics: Online Platforms and Promises of Easy Money
Dr. Tanaka: Recent cases indicate that Taiwanese nationals are being recruited through online platforms, specifically Facebook and telegram. They are lured by false promises of "easy and fast jobs" with lucrative rewards. Victims, often facing financial hardship, are blinded by the prospect of quick money and are often unaware of the criminal nature of the enterprise until it's too late.
Implications for Japan: Tightened immigration Controls and Increased Vigilance
Dr. Carter: How are Japanese authorities responding to this surge in cross-border fraud?
Dr. Tanaka: The Japan Metropolitan Police Department is deeply concerned about these developments. They fear that the recruitment of individuals for these schemes may expand beyond Taiwan and are increasing vigilance at airports and border control points, particularly for taiwanese tourists. While this is necessary to protect Japanese citizens, it also raises concerns about potential discrimination.
dr. Carter: Do you foresee any challenges in apprehending and prosecuting these individuals given the transnational nature of these crimes?
Dr. Tanaka: Absolutely. International cooperation is crucial for effectively combating these cross-border fraud syndicates. This requires sharing intelligence across national borders, coordinating investigations, and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable regardless of their origin.
Protecting Potential Victims: Awareness and Education
Dr. Carter: What advice can you offer to individuals, particularly older adults, who might be vulnerable to these types of scams?
dr. Tanaka: It's crucial that individuals remain vigilant and aware that communication from trustworthy authorities will never involve requests for immediate financial transfers or handover of valuables. If anyone receives a suspicious call claiming to be from law enforcement, they should verify the information independently by contacting the official authorities through trusted channels.
