On Air: Fukuoka City Information/2014.12.27(Sat)/09:00～

Telephone fraud, or “Nise Denwa Sagi" in Japanese, is a term referring to a special type of fraud in which people who pretend to be Fukuoka Prefectural police, lawyers, local police officers, public servants and such, attempt to swindle money from victims by having them deposit cash into a bank account via electronic transfer. Efforts are underway to prevent people from being hurt by such crimes.

The number and variation of incidents of nise denwa sagi is on the rise. In addition, the amount of money in the incidents of such fraud is increasing in value. The criminals accomplish this by claiming to be police, lawyers, or other such reputable members of society. They closely resemble those they impersonate and can convince you their claims are legitimate. They may, in some instances, cooperate within a group and introduce other people for you to speak with. In particular, elder citizens believe the voice they hear on the phone and fall prey to such fraud without ever requesting any proof.

There is no particular pattern to those who are targeted and you are at risk just by being a telephone user. If you feel something is not right regarding a telephone call you receive, immediately call the emergency number 110 or visit nearby police to report it.

In addition, you should take caution when using Internet shopping, something that is becoming more and more popular. Fraudulent sites, sites selling items which are paid for but which never arrive, or sites offering goods that look like brand items but which in fact are not, are also increasing in number. You should be wary of sites not listing their company name, address, and phone number, and instead only an email address as a method of contact. Also take caution with sites only accepting advance payment via bank transfer. Use sites accepting payment via credit card or other forms of payment. And, be sure to take a screenshot of orders you place.

There is also a danger of Internet sites committing fraud using fictitious bills. For example, someone may click on a sports idol’s free site link and be taken to an adult site instead. Then, a screen asking you to confirm if you are over 18 years of age appears and when clicked gives the message, “Registration complete.” Even if a screen requesting payment pops up and does not disappear, there is no need to pay for something you did not use, so please remain calm and do not be coerced into paying. Another danger is a request to provide personal information. Do not provide others with your personal information easily. If a payment screen appears and cannot be closed, search The Information-technology Security Center or “jo-hou sekyuriti anshin soudan mado guchi” in Japanese and read the IPA homepage.

Also, year after year, the number of inquiries made regarding smartphone gaming is on the rise. There are instances where children playing games make an in-app purchase and the credit card information provided remains registered through the device, only to be used inadvertently in future further purchases. There are also cases where children obtain other people’s credit cards without asking and enter information in order to make a payment. Adults should be aware of the fees and payment systems associated with online gaming using handheld game devices and/or smartphones. Enforce rules of use regarding the Internet at home and don’t grant access to the Internet without questioning and understanding its use. That applies to TVs and MP3 players used online, too.

If you have troubles like the ones presented in this message, please contact the Fukuoka City Consumer Affairs Center by phone at 092-781-0999. Please be aware that assistance is only available in Japanese.