An 80-year-old woman from Hokkaido, Japan, fell victim to an online scam after being duped by a man claiming to be an astronaut.
The elderly woman reportedly met the scammer in July, who told her he was stranded in space and urgently needed oxygen. He then pressured her into transferring 1 million yen (approximately RM29,000) to him.
Authorities believe the woman, who lives alone, developed feelings for the man after frequent online communication, making her more susceptible to the scam.
Local authorities have since warned the public to stay vigilant when interacting with strangers on social media and to report any suspicious activity immediately.
According to the World Bank, Japan has the world’s second-oldest population after Monaco, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to organized scams.
