Tax official tricked by fake detective leaks sole proprietors’ tax information on LINE: “I wanted to prove my innocence”

A 20-something employee at the Osaka Regional Taxation Bureau was tricked by a scammer posing as a police officer and sent work information via LINE, leaking tax data on 259 individuals and companies.

The leaked details included names, addresses, and tax amounts, affecting both personal and corporate information.

The case raises concerns about privacy protection and trust in public administration, since a tax official exposed sensitive records after falling for a scam.

The Osaka bureau has apologized and says it will investigate the incident and strengthen preventive measures.