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Vietnamese Woman Arrested In Japan Over ¥30 Million Voice Phishing Scam

Newsmobile.In • October 14, 2026

Tokyo: Japanese police have arrested a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman on suspicion of laundering ¥30 million (approximately $189,000) stolen from a Japanese company through a voice phishing scam in March 2025. Investigators suspect she helped connect a Japan-based fraud network with a money laundering group in Vietnam.

According to a report by The Japan Times , Nguyen Thi Huaon, a Tokyo resident, has been charged under Japan’s organised crime punishment law. Authorities suspect she was involved in laundering proceeds from multiple fraud cases, with investigators examining her alleged role in moving stolen funds across borders.

The National Police Agency (NPA) analysed around 80 voice phishing cases reported between October 2024 and April 2025, involving losses of approximately ¥2.9 billion. ¥1.5 billion of the stolen money was traced to transfers to Vietnam. Investigators identified Huaon’s suspected involvement after analysing smartphone data seized in a separate investigation involving Vietnamese money mules.

The scam network allegedly impersonated financial institutions and used automated phone calls to inform businesses supposed internet banking service renewals. Victims who responded received emails containing links to fraudulent websites, where they were tricked into entering their banking IDs and passwords.

The stolen funds were allegedly routed through accounts in Vietnam and other accounts before being withdrawn from ATMs in Japan by money mules. Some proceeds were reportedly returned to the fraud group in cryptocurrency. Investigators believe the rapid withdrawals, sometimes within hours of the theft, helped the network evade account freezes.

Police departments in Saitama, Yamagata, Ibaraki, Gunma and Chiba have formed a joint task force to investigate the cases. Vietnamese authorities have also reportedly charged seven people in connection with the network following cooperation between the two countries.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify other suspects and determine the full extent of the alleged cross-border operation.

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Vietnamese Woman Arrested in Japan for ¥30 Million Voice Phishing Scam Japanese police arrested 34-year-old Nguyen Thi Huaon for allegedly laundering ¥30 million (about $189,000) from a voice phishing scam that occurred in March 2025. The scam involved impersonating financial institutions to trick victims into providing banking information. Investigators traced ¥1.5 billion of the total ¥2.9 billion lost in around 80 cases to transfers to Vietnam. Huaon is believed to have facilitated connections between Japanese fraudsters and a money laundering group in Vietnam. Following her arrest, Vietnamese authorities apprehended seven individuals linked to the laundering operation. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to identify additional suspects and understand the full scope of the cross-border fraud network. 3 sources 30

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Vietnamese Woman Arrested In Japan Over ¥30 Million Voice Phishing Scam

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