TOKYO - A new method of romance scamming, where money is extracted through sweet talk, is leaving hapless victims with a bitter taste.
A woman claiming to be a foreigner approached her victims with a fake investment opportunity, surprisingly involving Puer tea, a Chinese tea known for its health benefits.
In late February 2024, a 51-year-old man from Fukuoka City received a message on social media from a woman claiming to be a foreigner. She said, "The price of Puer tea is soaring. Let's buy it for our future together and make money."
Toying with his feelings, the man ended up transferring over 38 million yen to the specified account for the purchase of the tea. Similar cases have occurred nationwide, including in Gunma Prefecture, where approximately 15 million yen was swindled in the same manner.
A man in his 40s said he had been approached with an investment opportunity by the scam group: "They started flattering me with words like, 'You’re amazing, Mr. ○○.'"
The scam tactic involved starting a conversation on LINE with a woman claiming to be a foreigner, who then gradually used sweet words to tempt the victim. Once the relationship seemed to develop, she proposed the investment in Puer tea.
In a video sent via LINE, the woman, pretending to be a foreigner, said, "I'm going to drink tea now. Wait a moment. This is the Puer tea in question. It looks very luxurious just from the packaging. I'm opening it now; it smells amazing."
The woman then introduced a man claiming to be a buyer, who fabricated a story that the tea could be sold at auction for 1 million yen, demanding 300,000 yen for the tea.
The man who received the investment proposal said, "I felt like they were highly intelligent criminals, probably part of a large organization. I don't think these people are in Japan."
Fortunately, he quickly realized it was a scam and avoided becoming a victim.
A Puer tea buyback company in Tokyo says they receive about 10 inquiries a month from men who have fallen victim to such scams.
The buyback company stated, "Honestly, it's scary."
Regarding the Puer tea that a man who fell victim to the scam purchased for 800,000 yen, the company said, "It's the kind of Puer tea you'd buy as a souvenir. Even at its highest, it's only worth 3,000 to 5,000 yen. Some customers are worried it might be poisonous, but it's drinkable, just cheap."
One victim even brought in a massive quantity of Puer tea worth approximately 10 million yen.
Source: FNN
