SCRUFF scam in Japan

[jhny17]

Not sure if this is the correct topic section, please advise. 

I recently left Japan; I was in the Tokyo/Kanagawa area. Before I left, I received a message on SCRUFF from the guy in the photos attached. He’s very handsome, but I assume this is not him (does anyone recognize who he is?) He went by “Kevin” and claimed to be from Kobe but living in Yokohama. 

After a day or two of chatting, he asked me for my WhatsApp but I didn’t want to give it out since it’s attached to my phone number, so I connected with him on the LINE app. After some more chatting, I felt something was a bit off, so I asked if he was on any social media. He gave me his X (Twitter). It seemed legit at first glance with photos, tweets, and replies  

I left Japan and we continue to chat for a a couple more days. During this week of sporadic communication, he had mentioned working in the banking industry (now construction), but still involved in investments and crypto. I already had my suspicions, but constant talk or questions about investments was an obvious red flag. When I changed the subject because I didn’t want to talk about money, he got more aggressive about “returning to the topic”. He had even sent screenshots of a supposed investment he just did and the massive ROI. I started to look up anything relating to the information I could see on these screenshots. The results on the url and domain returned as suspicious and fake, which were to be expected. When I started asking him more questions, he got “upset” that I changed my tone and stopped talking to me lol. 

Anywho, just be cautious out there because I continued looking more into this and apparently it’s a big thing happening. This is the first time I’ve experienced it. 

[BenjaminNYC]

Whenever they start talking about investments, crypto and huge returns, I tune out immediately.  Huge red flag.  

[jhny17]

At first it was subtle because he was talking about his employment (current and former), so I let it slide. But the moment he brought it up again, I was like “oh no”.

[caliguy]

If he's getting such massive returns then why share it?  Just invest and get rich. Oh wait. I'm thinking too logically.

I get these here and there.  I follow up with them for fun and they always want me to continue over on WhatsApp. 

Yeah, yeah you're beating the stock market so show me some proof. I don't usually get much further though.  I ask too many questions I guess. 😁

 

 

 

[+ Act25]

It's the pig butchering scam.  Lots of discussion in the finance section. 

 

[BeamerBikes]

How this plays out.  
You transfer the money into a crypto account at their suggested exchange.  For awhile, you might be able to take out small amounts as a test.

Soon you’ll get pressured or enticed to invest large sums for even more gains.  They might even offer to match funds to get you those higher gains.  

Now, if you transfer a large balance, it will look great on the app. But you can’t get the money out without paying a mystery fee in the thousands.  Pay that, and now it will be “taxes” preventing you from withdrawing.  Yeah, you are never seeing any of that money again.  
 

Pig butchering because they are going to use every bit of that pig to market.  
 

Often the folks working the call centers are often modern day slaves brought to a shady friendly country for “data entry” work.  Once there, passports are seized and they are forced to do these scams with actual violence befalling them otherwise.  
 

Reach out to your lonely friends and check in on them. Even folks who “know” better, sometimes get suckered.  

 

Edited Sunday at 07:22 PM by BeamerBikes
Adding additional context