Japanese Woman Loses £5,000 to Online ‘Astronaut’ Scam
An 80-year-old woman in Hokkaido, Japan, fell victim to an online romance scam after being persuaded by a man claiming to be an astronaut stranded in space.
The fraudster convinced her he needed money to buy oxygen while his “spaceship was under attack,” leading her to transfer around one million yen (£5,000).
Police said the scam began in July when the woman met the fraudster on social media. Over weeks, the pair developed an online relationship before the scammer fabricated his space emergency to extract money.
Authorities described the incident as a typical romance scam, where fraudsters exploit people seeking companionship.
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Officers have urged the public to be cautious when asked for money by someone they meet online, emphasizing that such requests are often signs of fraud.
Police also highlighted the ongoing problem of scam operations in Southeast Asia, where organized groups train workers to deceive victims into sending money through fake romances and other schemes.
The Hokkaido case underscores the growing sophistication of online scams targeting vulnerable individuals, including the elderly, and serves as a reminder to verify identities and avoid financial transactions with strangers met online.
