Man Who Claimed to Be a Pilot and Committed “Simultaneous” Marriage Scams Arrested… Why This Classic Tactic Still Works

A man who claimed to be a pilot

“I was deceived, too.”

The second crime committed by the man arrested for marriage fraud was uncovered when the female victim rushed to the police.

On June 11, the Tamagawa Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department re-arrested Katsunori Yoshizawa (40), who is unemployed and of no fixed address, on suspicion of fraud.He is suspected of posing as a man in a relationship with a woman in her 30s with the intention of marriage starting around November of last year, and defrauding her of 1.4 million yen in cash under the pretense of a deposit for a wedding venue and a down payment on a new home. Suspect Yoshizawa had previously been arrested and indicted in February of this year for marriage fraud involving another woman.

“Suspect Yoshizawa and the victim, a woman in her 30s, met on a dating app last October. She became completely convinced that Yoshizawa—who claimed to be a pilot and carried business cards and the type of carry-on luggage commonly used by flight attendants—was indeed a pilot, and they began living together in November.

Yoshizawa told the woman, ‘Given our ages, I want to get married right away, regardless of how long we’ve been dating.’ He had already met with her family and even booked a wedding venue, intending to hold the ceremony in April.“He then lied to her, saying he needed ‘a deposit for the wedding and money to buy a house,’ and took 1.4 million yen from her,” said a reporter from the social affairs section of a national newspaper.

However, in February, Suspect Yoshizawa suddenly vanished. This was because he had been arrested on suspicion of marriage fraud involving another woman.

“The victim, who couldn’t believe that Yoshizawa was not a pilot but was actually unemployed and married, searched his belongings and found a note with the contact information of a ‘third woman.’ When she contacted her, the ‘third woman’ reportedly replied, ‘We’re dating with the intention of getting married.’ Realizing she had been deceived, the victim filed a police report. Suspect Yoshizawa has reportedly admitted to the charges,” (ibid.)

The police are continuing their investigation, suspecting there may be additional charges.

Marriage scams involving people posing as pilots are a classic tactic. Why pilots, rather than doctors or lawyers?According to Maiko Yoshino, CEO of SMART BRIDAL Co., Ltd. and a relationship and matchmaking psychologist , “The combination of the ‘halo effect’ and the unique nature of a pilot’s work schedule—which makes it easy to justify why they can’t be reached or met—creates the perfect cover for a scammer.”

“We should look for objective evidence.”

“In psychology, the phenomenon where people assume that someone must be outstanding in every other aspect—such as personality and integrity—simply because they possess a single outstanding characteristic—such as ‘high educational attainment,’ ‘high income,’ or ‘tall stature’—is called the ‘halo effect.’When presented with the easily recognizable and glamorous status of a pilot, women unconsciously overestimate him, thinking, ‘This person must surely be sincere and admirable as a person.’”

“When you think, ‘This person is wonderful’ or ‘I want to trust this person,’ a cognitive bias sets in, making the other person seem many times more attractive and preventing you from making a calm, rational judgment. You fall into a psychological state where you stop listening to what those around you say.”

In recent years, while encounters through dating apps and social media have increased, so have problems such as romance scams. What should you look out for to spot a liar?

“People who constantly engage in excessive self-promotion or brag shortly after meeting you may have psychopathic tendencies that prevent them from empathizing with others. You should be highly wary of them. Scammers try to build and maintain relationships solely for practical purposes, such as money or sexual relations. People who make unnatural requests for money are extremely dangerous.

It has also been pointed out that as a relationship progresses rapidly, there is a risk of overlooking the other person’s true character and values. When someone suddenly closes the distance by saying things like ‘This is fate’ or ‘Let’s get married,’ it’s important to deliberately remain calm and take the time to observe their character,” (ibid.)

Furthermore, Mr. Yoshino says, “If you are truly considering marriage, you should request objective proof (such as original copies of a certificate of single status or a company certificate).”

“Don’t trust someone just because you’ve visited the apartment where they live alone. It’s quite common for people to rent a place other than their primary residence. Even if they introduce you to friends or family, don’t believe them too readily. They could be people hired to pose as friends or family, and there have been actual cases of people being scammed this way. There are real-life examples where, even if a company or office is located at the address listed on a business card, it turns out to be a front when viewed from the outside.

That is precisely why it is crucial to ask them to provide original documents, such as a certificate of single status or a company certificate. If the other person tries to gloss over the matter or becomes upset, there is a high probability they are lying.”

It might break your heart to doubt someone you’ve fallen for. However, you must accept that “it’s unavoidable if you don’t want to regret it later.”