Fake astronaut scams woman for US$30,000 ‘landing fee’ to return to Earth, Japan police say

The scam ‘astronaut’ asked the woman to send him money for ‘landing fees’ and rocket expenses to return to Earth, Kyodo News reported, citing police. — Photo by NASA on Unsplash

A Japanese woman was scammed out of thousands of dollars in an international romance scam, according to police.

The 65-year-old woman in Higashiomi City met a man on Instagram who claimed to be a Russian astronaut working aboard the International Space Station, Japanese outlet Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing the Shiga Prefectural Police’s Higashi-Omi Police Station’s Oct 7 news release.