An 80-year-old woman in Japan was tricked out of her life savings by a scammer posing as an astronaut who claimed he was stranded in space and urgently needed money for oxygen.
The bizarre fraud began in July, when the woman, who lives on the northern island of Hokkaido, connected with the scammer through a social media app. As they developed an online relationship, he convinced her that he was “in a spaceship right now” and that it was “under attack.” He told her he needed money to buy oxygen in order to survive.
Believing his story, the woman transferred around ¥1 million (about $6,700) to the man. But instead of saving an astronaut, police said the money went straight into the scammer’s pockets.
Authorities in Hokkaido confirmed that the case was a typical romance scam, often targeting elderly people who are more vulnerable online. They urged the public to be cautious of anyone met on the internet who asks for money, especially under emotional or urgent circumstances.
Similar cases have been reported around the world. In one incident, a French woman was conned out of $850,000 by a scammer pretending to be Brad Pitt, complete with AI-generated hospital photos. In another, many older Americans were defrauded by criminals posing as lottery or investment operators, costing victims thousands.
Japan, with one of the oldest populations in the world, has been facing growing concerns about such scams. Experts say loneliness, combined with the sophistication of online fraud, makes elderly people especially at risk.
Police continue to investigate the “astronaut” scam, while reminding residents to treat suspicious online requests with skepticism and to consult authorities before sending money.
