Episode 8 – Part 1

“Give me my money back!”

Those were the last words I shouted. And from that moment, the real nightmare began.

Desperate to recover my losses, I searched online for ways to “get my money back.” Hundreds of results appeared instantly.

Among them, one Tokyo-based law firm stood out. It ranked near the top of the search results and displayed bold claims:

• “Many successful refund cases”
• “Act now—your money can still be recovered”
• “Speed is everything”

I wanted to believe it.

“Maybe they can help me.”

So I contacted them through LINE.

A Late-Night Call

Around 10 p.m. that same night, my phone rang.

The man on the line spoke calmly and confidently:

• He said he was a licensed attorney
• He claimed to belong to the Tokyo Bar Association
• He insisted the bank account I transferred money to must be frozen immediately

Then he said the words that made my mind go blank:

“This is a romance scam.”

I followed his instructions and provided the account information.

That’s when the pressure began.

The Hard Sell

“We’ll start the account-freezing procedure right away,” he said.

I asked about the cost.

The amount he quoted was shockingly high.

“Because the damage is large, the fee will be around ○,○○○,000 yen.”

I told him I didn’t have that kind of money left.

He immediately replied:

“You can pay by credit card.”

I repeated that I barely had any money.

Without missing a beat, he said:

“500,000 yen should be manageable.”

Then came the pressure:

• “You can pay by card”
• “If we don’t act now, it will be too late”
• “The account must be frozen immediately”

He repeated these points again and again.

I wasn’t thinking clearly anymore.

“If this can help me get my money back…”

That hope pushed me to agree.

Minutes later, an email arrived with a payment link.

And just like that—

500,000 yen was charged to my card.

End of Episode 8 – Part 1

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