‘I Am In A Spaceship, Need Oxygen’: Scammer Dupes Japanese Woman Of Rs 6 Lakh

<p>A shocking online scam has left an 80-year-old Japanese woman from Hokkaido defrauded of nearly Rs 6 lakh (5,000 pounds) after a fraudster posed as an astronaut in distress. The unusual con unfolded on social media in July, where the woman struck up a conversation with a man claiming to be aboard a spaceship.</p>
<p>According to CBS News, the scammer told her he was &ldquo;in space on a spaceship right now&rdquo; but facing a life-threatening situation and urgently needed oxygen. He pleaded with her to send money to help him survive. Over time, the woman&mdash;who lives alone&mdash;developed a bond with the imposter and transferred the funds. Once the money was sent, the man disappeared, severing all contact.</p>
<p>A local police officer issued a stern warning: &ldquo;If a person you met on social media ever demands cash from you, be extremely cautious. Report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Japan&rsquo;s aging population has made older adults increasingly vulnerable to such schemes. The country, home to the world&rsquo;s second-oldest population, saw a surge in romance scams in 2024. The National Police Agency of Japan reported 3,326 cases in the first 11 months of the year&mdash;more than double the number recorded in the same period in 2023.</p>
<h2>A Growing Global Trend in Romance Scams</h2>
<p>This case is far from isolated. In February, an Australian woman lost over Rs 4.3 crore ($780,000) in online romance scams, leaving her homeless. She initially sent Rs 2,75,000 ($5,000) to a stranger she met on a dating app who claimed his wallet had been stolen in Kuala Lumpur. Over time, persistent requests drained her self-managed super fund, and she later lost an additional Rs 1.5 crore ($280,000) to a Bitcoin-related scam.</p>
<p>Closer to home, an elderly woman in Mumbai lost Rs 18.5 lakh after attempting to order milk online. On August 4, the 71-year-old resident of Wadala received a call from a man claiming to be &ldquo;Deepak,&rdquo; an executive from the milk company. He sent her a link, instructing her to enter personal details to place the order. The link turned out to be fraudulent, and she lost her life savings, according to police reports shared with PTI.</p>