https://deepnewz.com/japan/japan-faces-surge-fraud-including-4-5m-yen-police-scam-95b-yen-stock-losses-deel-9e24da45

Japanese authorities are confronting a surge in financial crimes involving fraud and money laundering. A recent case in Miyagi Prefecture involved a 70-year-old woman who was defrauded of 4.5 million yen by individuals impersonating police officers. Over a three-month period, there were 1,454 incidents of unauthorized stock trading linked to hijacked securities accounts, resulting in losses exceeding 95.4 billion yen, with at least six securities firms, including Nomura Securities, affected. The Financial Services Agency has reported that the total amount lost through these fraudulent stock transactions is approximately 50.6 billion yen. In 2024, special fraud cases, including social media investment scams and romance fraud, resulted in damages totaling around 200 billion yen. The National Police Agency is considering stricter penalties for illegal account trading. Additionally, authorities have identified suspected money laundering activities involving funds obtained through special fraud, with total damages estimated at 3.3 billion yen. A warning has been issued in ten prefectures about scams involving conversion of money into gold bars, with confirmed losses exceeding 900 million yen. Separately, a former husband of a Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee accused of safe deposit theft revealed she incurred debts of 12 million yen due to losses in FX trading and consumer loans. There are also allegations of money laundering operations facilitating large sums between Mexico and the United States, with suspicions centered on the company Deel, which reportedly has Mexico as its second-largest country of operation, unlike other similar firms that list India. The CEO of Deel is reportedly avoiding investigations and attempting to deflect scrutiny.