Elderly man in Yamagata loses 29 million yen to fake police scam

A 70-year-old man in Higashine City, Yamagata Prefecture, was defrauded of 29 million yen in a scam impersonating police officers. The scam involved a man posing as a police officer who contacted the victim by phone, claiming he was involved in a crime and instructing him to place cash and later his cash card outside his home. This type of "fake police" scam, where perpetrators demand money, is occurring nationwide. Police urge the public to consult family or authorities if asked for money over the phone.