Police said Saturday that a 15-year-old school girl from Tokyo's Adachi Ward has been arrested for attempted identity fraud after she allegedly posed as a woman's son in need of cash.
The junior high school student telephoned a 55-year-old woman from Inagi and pretended to be her son, Fuji TV quoted police as saying. Explaining that she had lost an envelope of cash belonging to her son's employer, the girl requested that 4 million yen in cash be handed to a subordinate who would meet her to collect it.
Police were informed of the handover and arrested the girl when she arrived at the agreed location wearing a suit and tie, with swept back hair, claiming to be an employee from the company.
Police say they are currently investigating whether the minor was acting alone, or whether she was being used as an accomplice by co-conspirators because of her age.
© Japan Today
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sensei258
15 years old = not even a slap on the wrist. Her parents are in for it though.
CrazyJoe
By virtue of the Juvenile Law, the minors think they can do anything they want. It's time to abolish such laws. The guys on top of the pyramid always disappear cleverly so arrest is always difficult.
TheInterstat
Actually brilliant. Good work, I say. I see a bright future in investment banking in London. She should get her English up to scratch and head off to the west and take them to the cleaners.
Disillusioned
Ah c'mon! Do you really think she masterminded this? Hopefully, she will spill the beans and the group responsible will be exposed and arrested.
jonobugs
Sounds like other criminals are using minors to do the dirty work in case they get caught. The worst that will probably happen to her is that she'll spend time in the Japanese equivalent of a juvenile detention facility.
gaijinfo
Why use words like "mastermind" to describe this crime? She probably read about it in a manga, or saw in a TV show, or even read about it in the news. It's not all that complicated.
I'd only use "mastermind' in connection with a criminal if they got away.
Obviously, she didn't fool the 55 y/o for a second. Doesn't take mad skills to call some lady with a made up story of why you need money.
The mad skills come in convincing them the story is real. That's the REAL art of the con.
This young lady didn't come close.
nath
Deeply troubling.
Francis Urquhart
Hello? I am your son. You don't sound like my son. I am your son. You sound like a girl. I a your son. What's your name? What's your son's name? Taro. My name is Taro. OK. What do you want? Lots of cash. No problem.
There is a list of traits of Japanese people still pulling interest. Stupidity and Gullability should be two of them.
smithinjapan
She was obviously put up to it, though the fact that she was willing is sad. Even sadder is that she will not really see any consequences save that since they have these stupid Juvenile laws here that she can do it again and once again get off Scott free.
LiveInTokyo
Masterdunce is more like it. Glad the mother saw straight through it, or at least was smart enough to call the police. And I just realised it was in Inagi ... where I work!!!
Kent Mcgraw
She is 15, nothing will happen to her but she will learn how to do it better, she has until she is 20.
nath
I don't think she was acting alone!
badsey3
is this real money or Zynga (virtual) money?
LSpiro
This is not brilliant and she likely was acting alone. The same thing just happened earlier this year and was in the news. She just read about it and tried to do the exact same thing. She just forgot that everyone else read about it too… The only impressive part was her pretending to be a boy on the phone. I wonder about her voice…
Elbuda Mexicano
If she was acting alone, then I'm a monkey's uncle!!
Row Bur
Well. The banks did it, the J Govt. did it, kids watch and learn.Ahh, the new morality.
Dennis Bauer
Them Branded goods are expensive! need to get money!
JA_Cruise
glad she was caught, devious little bugger!!
Alphaape
I am at least glad that the mother had enough sense to call in the police on this incident. But I guess the bigger question is, why are people so afraid of failure in Japan? If the son is out of the house and working, and he makes a bozo mistake like loosing the company's money, that's on him in my opinion, nothing to do with the parents especially if he is an adult. Why are Japanese people so inclined to bail a family member out when that person makes a bonehead mistake (if it really did happen)? Are they so consumed with guilt and shame?
Some say that this girl was working for a "mastermind." I don't think that the people behind her are criminal genius' but ones that have been able to simply break away from the group think that is common in Japan and figured out that the rest of the "sheeple" will follow along at any method to make sure that they are not shamed in any way. They have figured it out, and playing on that very sentifment in Japan to make off with loot.
Jack Stern
This "it's me" scam is so old now that just about every grandmother is aware of those calls.