Malaysian arrested in Japan for 600,000-yen fake-police ATM withdrawal
A 26-year-old Malaysian was arrested at Narita Airport for withdrawing 600,000 yen from a Tokyo ATM using a stolen cash card in a fake-police scam.
What happened1/6 26-year-old Malaysian arrested at Narita for 600,000-yen ATM withdrawal
A 26-year-old Malaysian national was arrested on 10 November 2026 at Narita Airport, Japan, on suspicion of withdrawing 600,000 yen from a convenience-store ATM in Taito, Tokyo.
The withdrawal took place on 21 July 2026 around noon, in 3 separate transactions using another person's cash card. The victim is a woman in her 70s living in Oita Prefecture.
A caller posing as a police officer told her "we are investigating your involvement in a crime" and tricked her into handing over her cash card. The suspect had left Japan after the July withdrawal and was arrested when he tried to re-enter through Narita.
The real numbers2/6 The timeline and the money
600,000 yencash withdrawn in 3 transactions21 July 2026date of the ATM withdrawal10 Nov 2026arrest at Narita AirportPolice received a tip from a financial institution on 22 July 2026, the day after the withdrawal. They identified the ATM suspect through CCTV footage and interviews.
The suspect was not in Japan when police started looking. He was arrested only when he attempted to re-enter the country months later.
How it affects your wallet3/6 Why this matters for Malaysians travelling or working in Japan
The victim is in Oita Prefecture. The cash was pulled out in Tokyo. The person arrested is Malaysian. In these scams, the phone caller, the card thief and the ATM withdrawer are often different people.
A young Malaysian in Japan could be asked by someone they know to "just withdraw cash from an ATM" using a card handed to them, not realising the card was taken from an elderly victim by phone. The 600,000 yen here was pulled in 3 transactions at a convenience-store ATM, a common pattern in these cases.
If you are in Japan or travelling there, never accept a cash card or PIN from anyone, even a friend, to withdraw money at an ATM. You become the person on the CCTV.
What to do, step by step4/6 If a caller claims to be police and asks for your card or PIN
Japan's National Police Agency has a clear rule for exactly this situation. It applies whether you are in Japan or Malaysia.
- Hang up. Do not confirm any personal detail, account number or card information to the caller.
- Call back the official published number of the nearest police station (in Japan) or your local police district (in Malaysia). Do not use a number the caller gives you.
- Never hand over a cash card, debit card or PIN to anyone who contacts you by phone, even if they say they are from the police, a bank or a government agency.
- If you already handed over your card or PIN, call your bank's emergency hotline to freeze the card immediately, then file a police report.
600,000 yen 01/01cash withdrawn in 3 transactions The timeline and the money cash withdrawn in 3 transactions
Why it matters5/6 The scam splits the roles: caller, thief and withdrawer
Japan's National Police Agency describes the fake-police scam as a chain: a caller poses as police, pressures the victim into handing over a card, and a separate person withdraws the cash at an ATM. The phone caller and the ATM withdrawer are often not the same person.
In this case, the arrested man is suspected of the ATM withdrawal only. Whether he personally made the scam phone call has not been confirmed in the reports. Accomplices, additional victims and his admission or denial are also unconfirmed.
The reports do not state how the cash card travelled from Oita Prefecture to the ATM in Taito, Tokyo.
What to watch6/6 Still unconfirmed as of 11 November 2026
The reports do not confirm whether the arrested man made the scam phone call, whether there were accomplices, whether the woman in her 70s is the only victim, or whether he has admitted or denied the charges. Police investigation is ongoing.
Questions people ask
Was the Malaysian the person who called the elderly woman?
Not confirmed. The arrest is for the ATM withdrawal of 600,000 yen. The reports do not state whether he made the phone call that tricked the victim into handing over her cash card.
How much is 600,000 yen in ringgit?
The reports state the amount in yen only. Exchange rates move daily, so check the Bank Negara Malaysia reference rate or your bank's rate for the conversion on the day you need it.
What should I do if I receive a fake-police call in Malaysia?
Hang up, then call your nearest police station using its published number. Never give your card, PIN or IC number over the phone. If you already handed over card details, call your bank's emergency line to freeze the card and file a police report.
