French authorities have reopened an investigation in Rouen into a suspected romance scam involving Marie-José, an 82-year-old retiree who relocated to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to join a 28-year-old man she met online. Her son has raised concerns about the relationship, describing it as a "sentiment scam." The man is alleged to be a "brouteur," a term used for internet scammers based in West Africa. This case highlights ongoing issues with online fraud, including scams involving fake bank checks and fraudulent sales on platforms like Leboncoin, as reported by victims such as Cédric Lafont. Additionally, there has been a rise in sophisticated online scams in Japan related to fake rice sales websites, with hundreds of consumer complaints about undelivered orders and no refunds. Japanese consumer protection officials have issued warnings about these deceptive sites, which exploit price surges and consumer trust by advertising brand-name rice at unusually low prices. These developments underscore the increasing complexity and international scope of internet scams targeting vulnerable individuals.