Ignore fake notice including your mobile phone number
Local consumer affairs centers across Japan have received inquiries and complaints about billing fraud. The inquirers received an envelope stamped "important" enclosing a letter titled "Final notice of lawsuit". The letter said, "Due to contractual default, your background check has been started and a written complaint has been submitted. Please call the following number." The letter also showed the final deadline for dismissing the case. The addresser was unfamiliar to the inquirers. They were wondering whether or not they should ignore it, suspecting the sender.
The letter included addressee's postal address, name, and mobile phone number, and said, "We would like to inform that your mobile phone company or the operating company thereof has submitted a civil complaint against you over contractual default and that your background check has been started. The lawsuit will be launched after the final deadline for dismissing the case." The letter advised addressees to call a fixed-line phone number to consult about abandonment of the case.
The letter intimidated addressees, stating "If you don't call us by the date, the plaintiff's complaint will be fully affirmed and we will have to seize your salary, movable and immovable property with the court enforcement officer present, so please allow us to deliver an execution deed from the court enforcement officer."
The letter stressed that addressees should call in person, stating like "We are sending this notice in writing. In order to protect your privacy, please contact us by yourself." Under the formal court procedure, however, a court complaint in a sealed envelope with the court's name is directly handed to the person concerned in principle, and is not put in a mailbox.
Even if you receive a letter like the above, do not contact the fraudulent sender.
Some consumers contacted the sender and were charged money in the name of an investigation fee, a late fee, a notary document fee, etc.
If you feel uneasy even slightly, consult your local consumer affairs center.
- * Various organization names have been used for fraudulent letters and postcards, for example, the Court of Justice, the Ministry of Justice, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, local consumer affairs centers, etc. If you contact such a sender, fraudsters try to defraud you of money or try to get your personal data. Ignore such letters and postcards.
Related information on NCAC's website
The following web pages are written in Japanese.
Themed news
- This page provides advice for consumers and preventive measures related to billing fraud.
News in the past
- Ignore fake notice claiming to be from District Court Administration Office (November 29, 2018)
- Ignore fake notice claiming to be from National Lawsuit Notification Center under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice (October 31, 2018)
- Ignore a confirmation notice of action claiming to be from a consumer affairs center (June 20, 2018)
- Flash news! Surge of inquiries about billing fraud. Ignore unfamiliar postcards, emails or SMS (April 20, 2018)
- Ignore billing fraud postcards claiming to be from "civil lawsuit management center" (May 1, 2017)
Example of an envelope delivered to an inquirer
Window envelope stamped "IMPORTANT" in red
Photo 1. Example of an envelope
Example of a letter in a sealed envelope delivered to an inquirer
Photo 2. Example of a letter
