Key Facts
• A fraud group based in Hanoi, Vietnam, targeted victims via phone scams.
• Suspect Yasushi Inoue, 30, from Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture, was arrested.
• In January 2024, Inoue impersonated a police officer to deceive an 80-year-old woman in Osaka.
• The victim was told her account needed investigation for links to a drug group.
• Inoue obtained her banking details and enabled online banking access.
• The fraud involved stealing the “position” to control the victim’s account.
• The scam began with automated calls claiming the victim’s phone was compromised.
• Operators posing as telecom staff and police extracted sensitive information.
• The group operated from Hanoi and reportedly had another base in Dalian, China.
• Osaka police reported 60 similar cases in 2023, with losses totaling $2.1 million.
• By May 2024, another 60 cases caused $1.4 million in damages.
• Authorities are investigating the group’s full operations and urging public caution.
Summary
A 30-year-old man, Yasushi Inoue, was arrested by Osaka police for his role in a Vietnam-based fraud group. Inoue impersonated a police officer to deceive an elderly woman into providing her banking details, enabling online access to her account. The scam involved automated calls and fake operators posing as telecom and law enforcement officials. The group, suspected of operating from Hanoi and Dalian, China, has caused significant financial losses, with 60 cases reported in both 2023 and early 2024, totaling $3.5 million. Authorities are investigating the group’s operations and warning the public to remain vigilant against such scams.
