I recently read a story about a woman who received a call from someone claiming to be her brother asking for money to pay his 税金 (zeikin, taxes).
「脱税したことがばれて弁護士事務所に連れてこられている。お金を払わないと逮捕されるかもしれない」 (“Datsuzei shita koto ga barete bengoshi jimusho ni tsurete korarete-iru. O-kane o harawanai to taiho sareru kamo shirenai,” “They’ve discovered I’ve been evading my taxes and brought me to a lawyer’s office. I might be arrested if I don’t pay the money”), he told her.
The woman wound up handing over ¥1 million in cash to the man’s accomplice only to later learn that it was a 詐欺 (sagi, scam).
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