Key Facts
• On November 23, 2025, a woman in her 50s from Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo, met a person claiming to be a Japanese investor on SNS.
• The person offered “free high-profit stocks” and proposed stock investment.
• The woman was instructed via LINE to open an account on the cryptocurrency app “Coincheck”.
• Between February 2 and April 6, 2026, she transferred cryptocurrency 27 times.
• Total amount defrauded was about 53.1 million yen.
• The app falsely showed asset growth, but the transfer destination was frozen.
• The woman realized the fraud and reported it to the police on April 8, 2026.
• Police are investigating as a special fraud case and advise contacting the police consultation dial “#9110” if suspicious offers arise.
Summary
A woman in her 50s living in Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo, was deceived by a person posing as a Japanese investor she met on social networking services. The fraudster promised free high-profit stock tips and persuaded her to open a cryptocurrency account on the Coincheck app. Over two months, she transferred approximately 53.1 million yen in cryptocurrency across 27 transactions. Although the app displayed fictitious asset increases, the funds were sent to a frozen account. Upon realizing the scam, she reported it to the police, who are now investigating the case as a special fraud incident. Authorities warn the public to be cautious of suspicious investment offers and to contact the police consultation line “#9110” for advice.
