Newsfrom Japan
Society
Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police have arrested two Liberian men on suspicion of stealing cash under the guise of a gold transaction.
The two are charged with stealing 34 million yen brought by a 43-year-old secondhand goods dealer to a hotel in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward around 2 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2023. They both deny the theft allegations, investigative sources said.
According to the sources, the dealer visited the hotel to buy 5 kilograms of gold grains from the Liberian men and another non-Japanese man.
After the dealer showed the cash to them, one of the suspects wrapped the money in newspaper, saying this was for safety. Then the money was replaced with counterfeit bills while the dealer was picking up grains spilled by another man.
The dealer left the hotel to examine the grains and returned some 90 minutes later after finding that they were copper-coated gold. The three men had already disappeared.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
### Insight:
It is important for businesses and individuals to be cautious when engaging in transactions involving high-value items such as gold. Verifying the authenticity of the product and the credibility of the sellers is vital to prevent falling victim to scams.
### Preventive Measures:
One way to avoid such scams is to conduct thorough background checks on the parties involved in the transaction. It is also wise to use secure payment methods and request proper documentation to ensure the legitimacy of the deal. The implementation of these preventive measures can help safeguard against fraudulent activities in gold transactions.
