An 80-year-old woman in Japan has been scammed out of thousands of dollars by someone claiming to be an astronaut who was… wait for it… stuck in space and needed money for oxygen!
Houston, We Have a Problem!
It all started on social media. An 80-year-old woman from Hokkaido, Japan, living alone, met a man online back in July. This guy claimed he was an astronaut currently on a mission in outer space. And she believed him!
As they chatted more and more, the woman started to develop feelings for her space-bound suitor. This is where things take a turn. The “astronaut” told her his spaceship was under attack and he was running out of oxygen! His only hope? He needed her to send him money so he could buy more. Yep, you read that right.
The Absurd Demands
This is where the story gets even crazier! How does an astronaut “buy” oxygen while floating in the cosmos? Apparently, the only way was for the woman to send money to a bank account.
Blinded by her feelings, she did just that. Between July and August, she sent around 1 million yen (about $10,000 AUD) using prepaid systems at five different stores. It wasn’t until later that she started to feel like something wasn’t quite right.
Ground Control to Major Scam
After the woman started having doubts, she talked to her family, who confirmed her fears. She had been the victim of a classic online romance scam. She reported the bizarre case to the police, but they told her what many victims unfortunately hear: getting her money back would be almost impossible.
Police decided to share her story as a warning. Scammers are experts at playing on people’s emotions. They build trust, create a sense of urgency, and then strike when the victim’s guard is down. As one police official said, “If a person you met on social media ever demanded cash from you, please be suspicious of the possibility of a scam.”
Not a One-Off Mission
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time an “astronaut” has scammed someone in Japan! Back in 2022, another elderly woman paid a scammer $30,000 to help him return to Earth from space. It sounds unbelievable, but it shows these scammers have a playbook, and it works.
These stories highlight a serious issue. Online romance scams are on the rise, and they can affect anyone, regardless of age or background. Scammers will use any story they can think of, no matter how far-fetched, to manipulate people’s feelings and steal their money.
So, the next time you get a message from a prince, a soldier, or even an astronaut in trouble, take a step back and think twice!
