{
  "id": 12336416,
  "title": "Tokyo police's manga videos warn of crimes behind promise of easy money",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/tokyo-polices-manga-videos-warn-of-crimes-behind-promise-of-easy-money",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T08:30:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261006/p2g/00m/0na/025000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tokyo police have launched a series of manga-style videos on social media to caution young people about the dangers of accepting promises of easy money offered by criminals. The videos, based on real cases, aim to prevent individuals and their families from falling victim to criminal activities. One senior official of the Metropolitan Police Department emphasized that once people involve themselves in such deceitful work, their lives are essentially over.\n\nThe Metropolitan Police Department has reported a significant increase in the number of suspected recruitment posts on social media platforms. In the first half of the current year, the police have already issued warnings against 50,213 such posts, marking a rise of 14,576 compared to the same period last year, as per the National Police Agency.\n\nThe series of five videos, available on YouTube and featured on a police website dedicated to combating loosely organized criminal groups known as \"tokuryu,\" runs for about one to two minutes each. Each video illustrates a different scenario where individuals fall prey to criminals' promises of easy money, only to be ensnared in fraudulent schemes, robberies, or other crimes.\n\nIn one video, a young man, consumed by excessive spending on smartphone games, is lured by a social media post promising well-paid work. He eventually agrees to open a bank account, after which he is arrested a few days later when the account is used for criminal activities. A subsequent claim for damages arrives at his family's home, and his assets are seized. The video concludes with the young man hanging his head and stating, \"I'm doomed.\"\n\nAnother video depicts a woman who applies for a job at an overseas resort but soon discovers that she is forced to make telephone calls for the purpose of defrauding victims. In yet another scenario, an offer to work as a driver turns out to involve transporting robbers.\n\nThe senior police official stressed that if anything appears suspicious, individuals should consult the police before getting involved.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo police have released a series of manga-style online videos based on real cases to warn young people how promises of easy money",
  "key_points": [
    "Tokyo police create manga-style videos to warn about easy money scams",
    "50,213 social media recruitment posts warned against in first half of year",
    "Videos illustrate scenarios of individuals falling victim to criminal schemes"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}