Police in Togane City, Chiba Prefecture, have arrested a 46-year-old unemployed woman on suspicion of fraud after she posed online as the daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to con a man in a fake investment scheme.
According to police, Tomoko Kawano posed online as Phoebe Gates, between April 7 and April 25, and defrauded a man in his 60s living in Fukushima Prefecture, whom she met through social media, of 3.1 million yen in cash, Sankei Shimbun reported.
Kawano communicated with the man on Facebook and told him: “If you invest $20,000 in my father, Bill Gates, you will get $2 million. If you come to America, you can meet me.”
The man, who was repeatedly asked to make deposits, became suspicious and contacted the police. After an investigation, police found that the account was in Kawano's name.
Kawano, who was arrested on Tuesday, was quoted by police as saying she was invited to do an illicit part-time job. Police are questioning her on who set up the operation.
© Japan Today
15 Comments
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dagon
Seems some Japanese are of the mind that wealthy American celebrities are interested in communicating with them.
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/photo/43966083
Estatesman
Ah. Yes! Because Bill Gates daughter speaks perfect Japanese...
didou
He should have been suspicious before making any money transfer. He transfered 3.1 million in cash, right.
Why so many people are dumb enough to believe in such investments through social networks. There is no way to make such easy money. Do the victims have any mental deficiencies, which is never mentioned in the articles.
The only serious investment agencies or platforms are agreed and registered by the ministry of Finance. Even some can be at risk of default
BB
Scary. There are so many scams out there using AI that are pretty tricky, and he was willing to believe Bill's daughter can -- and would want to -- help him turn $20,000 into $2 million.
wallace
Dumber than dumb.
Jonathan Prin
I am the illegitimate son of Empress Masako and her French lover.
If you would like to meet my mother one day, please reply to this comment ;)
How can possibly any sane person give money to a billionaire family in any way ? Is it pride/vainglory or a mental illness than there is nothing one can do, money will be parted from the foul soon again.
Random
Maybe he’d have better luck with the Nigerian Prince.
ian
Scammer not much brighter either
starpunk
Bill Gates has a daughter? How old is she?
It used to be a little more explicit. I remember a case in 1988 before the internet where this roving man would come to people's homes asking for shelter and food until he could find work in the area. He claimed to be the son of Dick Van Patten (main actor of '8 Is Enough' TV series). Of course he would one day vanish with some home items and some cash, going from city to city. And so it went. He eventually got caught and sent to the can.
Now with the internet you don't even have to be face-to-face, just send it over.
Another reason why social studies education in America is in such sad shape. Nigeria hasn't had royalty at least since the modern state came to being, if that land ever had any at all. And of course royals don't 'need' anything from you!
Idiots on all sides.
Eastmann
LOL
what a scam... :)
Gene Hennigh
This isn't so bad. I'm Harrison Ford's son and I've done this sort of thing a couple of times.
CaptDingleheimer
How dare she pose as my sister!
SomeWeeb
A classic take on the email forward scam!
kurisupisu
At least it’s not a Nigerian prince…
Zaphod
Both the victim and scammer seem pretty gullbie.