FY2022 Summary of Consumer Affairs Inquiries received through PIO-NET

This summary reflects consumer affairs inquiries collected by PIO-NET^* in fiscal 2022. Based on the data registered with PIO-NET, NCAC has analyzed trends of consumer affairs inquiries in fiscal 2022.

1. ^* PIO-NET is a database that collects information on inquiries concerning consumer affairs by linking NCAC with local consumer affairs centers and similar organizations across Japan via an online network.
2. Note: The Japanese fiscal year starts in April and concludes in March of the following year.

Trends and characteristics in FY2022

• The total number of inquiries in fiscal 2022 was 896,000 - increased by nearly 50,000 from 848,000 in fiscal 2021. In particular, inquiries about "subscription" increased to about 102,000 (increase by about 40,000 from fiscal 2021), which account for slightly over 10% of all.
• The breakdown of inquiries by age group of contract signatories shows that the percentage of contract signatories aged 70 or more is 23% of all, still representing the highest proportion.
• Compared to fiscal 2021, an increase in the following categories was noticeable: "cosmetics" (e.g. trouble over a subscription contract made through a shopping site triggered by social media or online ads); "beauty care service" (e.g. difficulty getting through to a beauty salon to cancel a contract, bankruptcy of a beauty salon); "goods in general" (e.g. delivery of unordered products, billing fraud); "other government service" (e.g. messages demanding to pay an outstanding amount from a person claiming to be with a government agency); "other financial-related service" (e.g. credit-card application/cancellation, membership fee).
• The breakdown of inquiries by sales/purchase method shows that "mail order sales including online sales", which accounted for 40.6% of all in fiscal 2022, continued to be the top category.
• The total and average of purchased amount and paid-in amount increased from fiscal 2021. The total of purchased amount in fiscal 2022 was 393,600,000,000 yen (average: 800,000 yen). The total of paid-in amount in fiscal 2022 was 156,300,000,000 yen (average: 400,000 yen).
• According to the breakdown of inquiries by sales tactic, categories of "online shopping" and "subscription" include numerous inquiries about subscription of cosmetics and health food. "At-home sales" includes numerous inquiries about roofing work and repair service. "Telemarketing" includes numerous inquiries about Internet connection service.