I wanted to share my recent experience to help others be cautious, especially those dealing with cancer situations. A family member who recently had brain surgery was approached about alternative treatments. Here's what raised concerns:
The situation:
- Contact was made through someone claiming to be the "doctor's wife" who mentioned church connections (described herself with a Korean church title)
- The clinic mentioned is real and exists in Hokkaido (northern Japan), but some affiliations claimed couldn't be verified
- Both Japanese and Korean names were used by the same person, which seemed unusual
- Claims included work at a major Tokyo medical university and connections to a famous US clinic in Minnesota
Specific red flags I encountered:
- Treatment cost: $1,000 USD per day for IV vitamin C (I researched and found typical costs in Japan are ¥20,000-30,000 per session – about 10% of what was quoted)
- A claimed "Mega Vitamin Cancer Alternative Committee" membership – I searched extensively in Japanese (メガビタミン) and found no such organization
- Claims of joint research with a prestigious American cancer center – when I researched their actual partnerships, I found connections with Japanese institutions but couldn't verify this individual
- The person claimed to be a victim of fraud themselves (which in hindsight seems like a trust-building tactic?)
What my research found:
- Specialist oncology certifications couldn't be verified through the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology
- No academic publications under the names provided, despite claims of research positions
Mixed Korean-Japanese elements that concerned me:
- Korean church titles (권사) combined with Japanese medical claims
- Multiple names being used (Korean and Japanese versions)
- Targeting of Korean-speaking patients in Japan
- Religious authority possibly being used to build trust
by NewFocus9967