Fraud and scams refer to deceptive practices intended to secure an unfair or unlawful gain, typically involving the exploitation of trust or misinformation. Fraud encompasses a wide range of illicit activities where individuals or organizations intentionally misrepresent information or create false impressions to deceive victims. This can include financial fraud, identity theft, investment fraud, and more. Scams, on the other hand, often involve schemes designed to con people out of their money or personal information, such as phishing attacks, lottery scams, and Ponzi schemes. Both terms are associated with the loss of money or assets for the victims and often lead to criminal charges against the perpetrators. The primary element in both fraud and scams is the element of deceit and the intent to mislead for personal gain.
An international fraud investigation emerged in Shinjuku, Tokyo, hinging on a complex electronic money and counterfeit identity scheme. A convenience store became the center of illicit activity involving stolen credit…