2013.06.06
Man stung by ¥13,000,000 in fake gold bar swindle
A pair of men of Asian appearance tricked a 59-year-old self-employed man living in Kitanakagusuku into buying fake gold bars for ¥13,000,000 on May 31. Okinawa Police is now investigating the swindle and looking for the pair.
According to Okinawa Police, the man received a phone call from the pair asking if they had met in Okinawa before, and wanting to meet one more time. He agreed to meet them, and the pair offered to sell gold bars.
The man was shown the gold bars on a parking lot of Urasoe City, and agreed to purchase some 100 gold bars and pay about ¥13,000,000 for them. When he tried to exchange his “gold” for cash at a precious metal trading shop, it turned out that they all were fake, and he reported the swindle to police.
Police say one of swindlers looked to be in his 30s, about 165 cm tall and chubby. The other was of uncertain age, about 170 cm tall and skinny. According to the victim they were talking to each other in what sounded like Chinese.