USA: Telephone Fraud Targeting Japanese Companies

Overview:
- Recently (in 2023), several cases have been reported where fraudsters spoof the phone numbers of Japanese companies’ headquarters to impersonate executives and attempt to persuade individuals to transfer large sums of money. Similar impersonation scams are also occurring across the U.S., so please be vigilant.

Incident Summary (Information from Japanese expatriates):
- A person pretending to be the CEO of a local Japanese company contacted the company’s office, claiming that a highly confidential corporate acquisition deal required immediate transfer of funds to a specified account. Subsequently, someone pretending to be a lawyer provided the payment details. The phone number displayed on the caller ID was that of the headquarters. Upon verification with the headquarters, it was determined that this was a fraudulent call.
Preventive Measures:
- Although no specific damage occurred in this instance, similar cases have been reported to our consulate in the past. The methods used are sophisticated and malicious, often involving multiple individuals and displaying the headquarters’ phone number. Japanese expatriates, especially those involved in business, should take care not to disclose personal information or follow instructions that could lead to fraud. To avoid falling victim to similar scams, consider the following preventive measures:
  1. If you suspect the call’s legitimacy, ask for the caller’s name and affiliation, then hang up and call back using a known number.
  2. Scammers often try to prevent victims from consulting third parties; thus, forcefully end the call and seek advice from someone else.
  3. Scammers typically try to induce panic and fear to impair judgment. Remain calm and composed.
  4. Be cautious if the caller starts requesting banking procedures, and never agree to make transfers.
  5. If there are specific requests for money transfers or financial transactions, ignore and hang up immediately.