Shocking Breach: Osaka Tax Official Leaks 259 Taxpayer Records in Police Impersonation Scam
On April 15, the Osaka Regional Taxation Bureau announced and profoundly apologized to the public after a male employee in his 20s leaked a total of 259 taxpayer records externally via LINE, following instructions from someone impersonating a police officer. This incident has drawn severe criticism from various quarters, as it significantly undermines trust in tax administration. According to the Taxation Bureau's announcement, the incident occurred on April 13. The employee received a call on his personal smartphone from an individual claiming to be an officer with the Chiba Prefectural Police. The caller stated the employee's full name and informed him he was suspected in a case. Distraught, the employee, in an attempt to prove his innocence, followed the caller's instructions. He photographed 259 documents—179 individual taxpayer records and 80 corporate taxpayer records—displayed on his work computer screen with his camera and sent them through LINE. The employee stated...