A woman in Japan fell victim to a scam by a con artist who posed as an astronaut and claimed to be in danger on a spaceship. The fraudster approached the woman on social media in July, engaging her in what authorities labeled as a romance scam. Pretending to be an astronaut, the scammer convinced the woman, who resides in Hokkaido, to transfer ¥1million (£5,000) by fabricating a story of being under attack and in need of urgent assistance in space.
Law enforcement suspects that the scammer manipulated the woman through a romance scam tactic. They advised the public to be cautious, especially when dealing with individuals requesting money online. According to reports, scams have resulted in substantial financial losses globally, with the UK alone recording over £11.4 billion lost to scams in the year leading up to November 2024.
In a related incident, a guest on This Morning shared her experience of her late husband falling victim to a fraudulent investment scheme. The husband, Tim, encountered an enticing advertisement on Facebook promoting a Bitcoin website promising quick profits. The investment scheme falsely claimed endorsement from financial journalist Martin Lewis, leading Tim to invest his and his wife’s savings. Tim was in frequent communication with the scammer, who seemed supportive and helpful with the investment, ultimately resulting in the loss of their £120,000 life savings. Tragically, Tim passed away 18 months later due to pancreatic cancer.
It is crucial to be vigilant against online scams to prevent falling prey to fraudulent schemes that can have devastating financial consequences.
