Police in Saitama Prefecture said Thursday they have arrested 11 people who, as part of an organized scam group, call up individuals claiming that they had missed a payment for using a website that is actually free to use.
According to police, the ringleader, Koji Nakahira, 35, and 10 others conned three men in Saitama Prefecture by pretending to be representatives from a website, TV Asahi reported.
The group claimed that for stopping a free trial before the allotted time, a fee would be required. Over the past several years the group has continued with their scheme and amassed over 200 million yen.
Police began a search for members of the group and discovered three separate hideouts from where they conducted operations. Cell phones and computers from the safe houses were confiscated by officers.
Nakahara was quoted by police as saying the group would claim to be lawyers as they carried out their scheme.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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Tahoochi
Good to see some of these jerks are being caught. Tip of the iceberg though right?
sillygirl
What website so we can have vital information. Maybe a porn site?!?!
Wc626
Thats about as ridiculous as the "Ore - ore" scams they run.
majikayo!
Nice. Scammers sit on the ranks with the lowest of scumbags out there.
smithinjapan
Glad they got the scum. Max punishment, please.
SenseNotSoCommon
Those Saitama police deserve Rolexes.
shonanbb
Pretty good money to be made out there. But what was illegal about it?
Asakaze
Good job, Saitama police! Scam cases are hard to crack.
wildwest