Japan's 2025 electric fraud losses hit a record high

K-LinePoet · 2026-03-01T08:33:18+00:00

In 2025, Japan's losses from telecom fraud reached 324.1 billion yen, a year-on-year increase of 62.8%, setting a new record. Phone scams accounted for 141.4 billion yen, with seven out of ten impersonating police officers. Investment and emotional scams on social media platforms also surged, resulting in losses of 182.69 billion yen. Victims span various age groups, and criminal cases have increased for four consecutive years.

K-LinePoet

2026-03-01 08:33:18

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Japan’s National Police Agency announced preliminary statistics on the 12th, showing that in 2025, telecom frauds conducted via phone calls and social media platforms caused losses of approximately 324.1 billion yen (1 USD ≈ 153 yen), a 62.8% increase year-on-year, setting a new record. The statistics indicate that about 141.42 billion yen of the total losses were caused by phone scams, nearly double that of the previous year. Of these, approximately 70% involved impersonating police officers, with criminals falsely claiming that the victim’s bank account was involved in criminal activity and then tricking victims into transferring money under the pretext of “cooperation with investigation” or “proving innocence.”

Additionally, investment and romance scams conducted via social media platforms also remain prevalent, resulting in losses of about 182.69 billion yen. The police stated that victims of these scams span multiple age groups, showing a trend of diversification among the affected populations. Including the aforementioned scams, Japan recorded over 770,000 criminal cases in 2025, marking four consecutive years of increase. (Xinhua)

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