The National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan announced that local authorities in Nigeria had arrested 11 Nigerian Nationals on suspicion of defrauding 14 Japanese men and women of approximately 150 million yen.
The suspects allegedly contacted victims through social media platforms such as Facebook, developed romantic feelings or trust, and then deceived them into handing over money under the pretense of investments or financial contributions.
Romance Scams and Social Media Investment Fraud
“Romance Scams”, where criminals exploit feelings of love or closeness to extort money, are believed to have originated in Nigeria, West Africa.
Many victims are lured through repeated social media exchanges, then manipulated with excuses such as ‘I need money for our marriage’, and tricked into sending money. Similarly, social media-based investment scams, in which fraudsters gain victims’ trust without ever meeting them in person and then steal money under the guise of investments or funding, are also rampant.
According to the National Police Agency, the total financial damage from social media-based investment and romance scams in 2024 reached 126.8 billion yen, a 178.6% increase compared to the previous year. On average, the daily financial loss from these scams amounts to approximately 346 million yen.
Cooperation with Local Authorities
“In response to this growing issue, since April of last year, the National Police Agency has been participating in an international operation led by INTERPOL to conduct joint global investigations.
During an investigation and analysis of social media-based investment and romance scams in Japan from 2022 to 2023, authorities discovered that victims’ funds had been transferred to cryptocurrency accounts registered under Nigerian names. The NPA provided this information to the Nigerian police,” said a law enforcement official.
As a result, Nigerian authorities arrested 11 individuals on fraud charges for their involvement in these scams.
“Since romance scams operate across international borders, cooperation with foreign investigative agencies is essential. The National Police Agency believes that organized crime groups, particularly in West Africa, are repeatedly committing similar offenses. Moving forward, we will continue working with overseas law enforcement agencies to investigate and expose these operations,” the official added.
The person on the right wore a pretty crown and a cat T-shirt with cat eyes.