The internet frauds and phishing scams are growing rapidly in all over the world. The fraud & cybercrime cases reported in Japan or using name of Japan are also increasing dramatically. Be smart and protect yourself against falling victim of fraudsters. Below are some tips to avoid internet frauds and scams.
- Try to know in detail, who you’re dealing with. In any transaction you conduct. to see if the seller or company is verified by Japan Anti Fraud Organization (JAFO). Be especially careful if the seller is unfamiliar to you.
- Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the company/seller you are dealing with.
- Be careful that Japan’s international dialing country code is +81
- Be alert that telephone numbers in Japan start with 90, 80, 70 & 50 after country code (+81) are mobile (cell) phone numbers and not physical landline phone. Criminals usually use mobile phones, so that they can runaway easily after committed the crime.
- Pay by “Credit Card” or” Japan Trust Pay”. Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. While Japan Trust Pay will refund your full amount if seller in Japan fails to ship the goods you purchased.
- Guard your personal information. Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to.
- Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a well-known Japanese company.
- Stay safe online. Don’t send money by wire transfer until you are fully satisfied and has verified the company’s status at Japan Anti-Fraud Organization (JAFO). Your Embassy in Japan may also help you.
- Be cautious about sales telephone calls from Japan pushing you to buy goods quickly, giving you a short deadline for cheap price. These are techniques of fraudsters. They don’t want to give you time for thinking or verification. Remember that legitimate companies never call the customers.
- Legitimate companies will be happy to give you time to make a decision. It’s probably a scam if they demand that you act immediately. Some scammers may also demand you pay part payment (down payment) immediately or the good will be sold to other customer, always take time to look into who is requesting the money before you pay up.
- Unusual cheap prices or offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
- Fully understand the offer. A legitimate seller will give you all the details about the products or services, the total price, the delivery time, the refund and cancellation policies. Contact the seller if any of these details are missing, if they are unable to provide the details, it may be a sign that it’s a scam.
- Be aware that, sometimes fraudsters ask victim to remit money in foreign currency (US Dollar, Euro etc.) to their other country account because foreign currency is not accepted in Japan. This is not true. All major currencies are accepted in Japan. and registered companies can open account in Japanese Banks in all major currencies.
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