Suspicious phone calls asking "Lend your name", "Buy this on behalf of him" etc. are fraudulent! - Watch out for fraud troubles related to purchase of old coins -

Many inquiries and complaints about fraud troubles related to purchase of old coins have been sent to NCAC by consumers, in particular elderly people. The most common trick is a "theatrical sales scheme (fraudulent sales)" that several vendors share roles and try to cheat consumers.

In a typical pattern, a vendor sends you a sales pamphlet on old coins. Around the day of receiving it, another self-claimed vendor calls you and says "Only those received the pamphlet can buy old coins", "Lend your name to another person", "Buy it on behalf of another person", and so on.

If you accept to lend your name, you will be told things like "The action lending your name is illegal" and will be instructed to send some money via parcel delivery service to be exempt from responsibility for the illegal action. After sending the money, you will never be able to contact the vendors. Such troubles have frequently occurred.

Suspicious phone calls asking "Lend your name", "Buy this on behalf of another person" etc. are fraudulent sales. Ignore them and hang up quickly. Whatever the reason, the instruction to send money via parcel delivery service is always a fraudulent trick. Never follow such an instruction.

Process of a typical trick

A pamphlet on old coins is sent to you from a vendor. Around the day of receiving it, another vendor calls you.

Another self-claimed vendor calls the consumer who received the pamphlet and solicits like "Only those received the pamphlet can buy old coins", "Lend your name to another person", "Buy it on behalf of another person" and so on.

If you accept to lend your name, you will be told things like "The action lending your name has been regarded illegal".

If the consumer accepts to lend his/her name, the vendor gives the consumer phone calls like "The action of lending your name is illegal", "The action of lending your name was regarded illegal" and so on.

You will be instructed to send some money via parcel delivery service to be exempt from responsibility for the illegal action.

The consumer will be told by the vendor like "Please send XX thousand yen to solve the problem", "Please pay XX thousand yen temporarily, which will be refunded" and so on, then send money via parcel delivery service.

Sample case of inquiries and complaints

[Case] I had accepted to lend my name. I was told the action was illegal and I sent 500,000 yen.

Company A sent me a pamphlet on old coins. Then, I received a phone call from Company B: "Please lend your name for Mr. C because he wants to buy old coins" and I accepted to do it. After that, I received a phone call from Company B again: "Mr. C used your name for paying money into the account of Company A, which was regarded illegal. Mr. C should take a rearrangement procedure, but he went abroad and cannot do that now". Company B said "Please pay 500,000 yen for him temporarily" and I sent the money to someone's home via parcel delivery service. I was at ease because Company B repeatedly told me "Mr. C will refund the money soon after he returns home". After a while, Company A sent me an old coin. Since then, I tried to call Company A and Company B, but I couldn't get through.

(woman in her 80s in the Sanyo region / reported in August 2014)

Advice for Consumers

1. Suspicious phone calls asking "Lend your name", "Buy this on behalf of another person" etc. are fraudulent sales. Do not respond to such words and hang up quickly.
2. The instruction to "send money via parcel delivery service" is always a fraudulent trick. Do Not believe their words even after interacting with such vendors. Never pay money.
3. Use the function of your answer phone.
4. Consult your local consumer center right away.
5. It is important to watch over your family and elderly persons nearby on a daily basis.

Reference

Examples of pamphlets sent to consumers