Peruvian Teen, 18, Arrested Over Attempted Fraud Posing as Police, Telling Elderly Woman to "Submit Fingerprinted Cash to Police" in Matsuyama
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Ehime Prefectural Police's Matsuyama Higashi Station announced on August 5, 2026 that it had arrested an 18-year-old Peruvian national living in Fukuoka City on suspicion of attempted fraud. According to a report by Nankai Broadcasting, the teen is accused of conspiring with several others to call a woman in her 80s living in Matsuyama while posing as Hokkaido Police, telling her that money in her account might have been used in criminal activity and that she needed to submit fingerprinted cash to police, then instructing her to leave 6.65 million yen in cash outside her home.
The woman had previously been defrauded twice through similar schemes, losing a combined 9.65 million yen. Having already received a report from the woman, Matsuyama Higashi Station had officers staking out the area around her home, and on August 5 they apprehended the teen when he arrived to collect the cash. Police believe the teen served as a money collector for a specialized fraud ring and are working to identify other accomplices.
Current status: Whether the teen admits to the allegations and the number and identification status of other accomplices remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.