Online banking fraud surged to about ¥4.22 billion ($28.6 million) in the first half of 2025, a roughly 73% jump from last year and the fastest pace on record for the period, according to a police report released Thursday.
The National Police Agency warned that the annual tally could exceed the previous full-year high of ¥8.73 billion in 2023.
According to the agency, the number of fraudulent money transfers in the first half of this year rose from 1,728 in the same period last year to 2,593, with the amount of losses increasing by about 73% from approximately ¥2.44 billion.
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