Japanese social-media users are being targeted by scammers posing as side-job operators who promise high pay for watching videos [1].
These schemes exploit the desire for easy income, using small initial payouts to build trust before demanding large sums of money that are never returned [1], [2].
The fraud typically begins with advertisements claiming users can earn up to ¥20,000 per day [2]. To lure victims, scammers provide a small initial reward of ¥100 per task [1]. Once the victim is engaged, the operators offer "more high-pay tasks" but require the payment of participation fees to proceed [1].
In one instance, a victim paid a ¥3,000 fee and received a ¥3,900 reward [1]. However, as the scammers demanded higher fees, the risk increased. Another victim paid a ¥10,000 fee before the operators stopped payments entirely [1]. The scammers often tell victims they have not met specific purchase requirements to justify withholding the funds [1].
The financial impact on individuals has been severe. A woman in her 20s from Kusu, Oita, suffered a total loss of ¥860,000 in July 2024 [2]. Another case involving a woman in her 60s from Kitakyushu in February 2024 resulted in a total defrauded amount of ¥120,000,000 [3].
Authorities said that the scammers use social media to identify targets and establish a false sense of legitimacy through the initial small payments. Once the victim pays a significant participation fee, the operators typically cease all communication or demand additional funds to "unlock" the earned money [1], [2].
“The scam advertised that users could earn up to ¥20,000 per day by simply watching videos.”
This trend highlights a sophisticated psychological approach to fraud known as 'pig butchering,' where scammers 'fatten' the victim with small wins to lower their defenses. By utilizing social media for recruitment and digital payments for fees, these operators can target a wide demographic across different age groups and prefectures with minimal overhead, making the scams difficult to track and prosecute.
