Japan's youth tricked into shady part-time jobs via social media

Crime groups solicit even teens to commit robberies disguised as legitimate gigs

Yamibaito Top Yokohama 2024-11

Police investigate the site of a fatal robbery in Yokohama on Oct. 16.   © Kyodo

SHO FUJITA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- A recent surge in robberies in Japan has revealed a troubling trend: Many of those arrested are young people who were recruited through social media for so-called dark part-time jobs disguised as legitimate gigs.

Promising high rewards, these schemes use encrypted apps and ID requests as they coerce naive youngsters, including middle and high school students, into committing crimes.

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