Goa, Sept. 4 -- An 80-year-old woman from Japan's Hokkaido island lost her entire life savings to a scammer who posed as an astronaut in distress. Authorities said the fraudster convinced the pensioner that he was stranded in space aboard a besieged spacecraft and needed money to buy oxygen.

The scam began in July after the two connected on a social media app. The impostor gradually gained the woman's trust before claiming his life depended on her financial help. Believing the story, she transferred about $6,700.

Police later confirmed it was a classic romance scam targeting vulnerable elderly individuals. Similar cons have been reported across the globe, including the United States.

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