Overview

• Kanagawa Prefectural Police announced an investigation on suspicion of fraud after a woman in her 60s in Yokohama lost about ¥100 million.
• The victim registered via an SNS link to a site calling itself an AI stock assistant and was introduced to an assigned contact on LINE.
• A person posing as a customer manager gave specific stock tips while directing the woman to use a dedicated investment app.
• Between May 29 and July 24, she made six transfers to designated accounts as the app displayed roughly ¥300 million in supposed gains that could not be withdrawn.
• The app became unusable, the website was shut down, and police are urging anyone asked to transfer cash via SNS to report it immediately.