• On September 4, the consulate received a report of a Japanese national falling victim to a high-value scam suspected to be an “impersonation scam.”
• The scammer uses various tactics to gain the victim’s trust. Do not take “emergency” or “money” claims at face value; act with caution and consult with trustworthy individuals.
Case Summary:
A Japanese national residing in Bali was contacted via WhatsApp by someone impersonating their Indonesian friend B (who lives in Japan). The impersonator, C (scammer using a Malaysian phone number and B’s photo), claimed that B’s wife was undergoing an emergency surgery and requested funds be sent to an account under the name D. The scammer provided urgent-looking videos, including some that appeared to be filmed in Japan.
The Japanese national consulted with their Indonesian friend A, who had been contacted by C. The Japanese national sent money twice to the specified account, but further financial demands raised suspicions. When the Japanese national attempted to verify the situation by contacting B on Facebook, B denied any involvement, confirming that it was indeed an impersonation scam.
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