Challenge Your Assumptions: These “Obviously True” Beliefs Can Turn You from a Victim into a DefendantExperience
Misconception: It’s my bank account, so there’s no harm in lending it to a friend or selling it for some extra money
In Japan, selling, transferring, lending, or giving another person access to a bank account in your name (including its cash card, passbook, PIN, or online-banking credentials) violates the 犯罪収益移転防止法 (Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds), whether or not you are paid. It is a crime. You may be prosecuted even if you ‘didn’t know’ the other person would use it for fraud or money laundering. For foreign nationals, involvement can also lead to cancellation of residence status, deportation, and refusal of future entry, in addition to criminal penalties. Offers on social media to ‘buy dormant accounts’ or ‘pay you to let money pass through your account’ are almost always an entry point into a fraud and money-laundering network. Penalties To verify: for a single incident, roughly ‘up to 1 year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 100万円’; repeated conduct ‘as a business’ carries heavier penalties (roughly up to 3 years and 500万円) . To check penalties, read the relevant Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds provisions and consult the police or a lawyer.
NoteBefore returning home, do not sell your account to an intermediary to ‘cash out.’ Properly close (解約) unused accounts with the bank instead of transferring them to someone else.
Example for Chinese users: Find someone to exchange yen and yuan at a “high exchange rate”—it’s cheaper and more convenient than a bank
If you are from China, privately exchanging or remitting renminbi ↔ yen through WeChat groups, fellow nationals, or an ‘underground money changer’ is an unlicensed foreign-exchange or funds-transfer business in Japan—a ‘地下銀行’ (underground bank)—and a major area of criminal activity. In June 2026, 警視庁 announced a case involving an underground remittance business operating in Japan, laundering proceeds from 特殊詐欺 (special fraud) and the arrest of a Chinese suspect. There are two risks: (1) the money you receive may itself be fraud proceeds, leading to your account being frozen and a police investigation; (2) operating the service or recruiting customers is itself illegal. Whatever the currency, use a bank or licensed funds-transfer provider (such as an authorized remittance company) and keep your receipts.
NoteTransfers through legitimate channels have compliant limits and reporting requirements; the convenience of ‘getting around the limits’ is often a sign of illegal activity.
Misconception: Government agencies will call to verify my identity and ask me to transfer money to “prove my innocence”
The 出入国在留管理庁 explicitly states that immigration officials ‘will never request money by telephone, email, or other means’ (電話やメール等で金銭を要求することは一切ありません). Likewise, real police, banks, and city offices will not call and ask you to say your PIN aloud, come to your home to ‘hold’ or ‘replace’ your cash card, or ask you to use an ATM for a 還付金 (tax refund or reimbursement). They will not ask for bail or processing fees either. If someone claims to be from immigration, the police, or the prosecutors and asks for money or card information, it is a scam. Simply hang up.
NoteScammers often use an automated message in Chinese or Japanese saying ‘There is a problem with your 在留カード’ or ‘Your passport has been misused’ to get you to press a button. This is a phishing script.
Misconception: A “high-paying, easy” part-time job is just ordinary work, so there’s no harm in doing it once or twice
闇バイト (criminal side jobs) advertised on social media as ‘several tens of thousands of yen per day,’ ‘easy high income,’ or ‘just receive something’ are in reality roles in a fraud group: a 受け子 (collector who picks up cards or cash at someone’s home), a 出し子 (cashier who withdraws money from ATMs using stolen cards), or even a participant in a robbery. Recruiters often ask for ID, selfies, and family information. If you later try to quit, they threaten to ‘come to your home’ or ‘hurt your family’ and say 逮捕まで辞められない (‘you can’t quit until you’re arrested’). These are serious crimes; for an international student, involvement can mean criminal punishment and jeopardize residence status. 警視庁 advises that even if you have already applied, contacting the police on your own can help you avoid further crimes and receive continued protection.
NoteReject any job that asks you to hand over ID or a deposit first, offers an implausibly high reward, or only asks you to run errands to collect money; consult the police.
Trading or Transferring Bank Accounts: Why It’s an Absolute Red Line (The Greatest Impact on Your Status of Residence)Official
- Prohibited conduct includes selling, transferring, lending, or renting (レンタル) a bank account, cash card, passbook, PIN, or online-banking login information in your name. It is illegal whether or not you are paid.
- Legal basis: 犯罪収益移転防止法. Even if the account holder ‘didn’t know’ it would be used for fraud or money laundering, they may be prosecuted and the account frozen.
- Additional consequences for foreign nationals: possible cancellation of residence status, deportation, and refusal of future entry—consequences more serious than the fine itself.
- Typical bait: ‘We’ll buy your unused account,’ ‘lend us your card to pass money through and we’ll pay you,’ or ‘we’ll pay commission to register an account.’ All are entry points into a money-laundering network.
- What to do: Close unused accounts properly through the bank (解約). Take care of this when moving or returning home, and never hand an account over to someone else.
- If you have transferred an account or received suspicious funds for someone, save chats and transfer records, contact the bank and police immediately, and consult a lawyer about next steps.
Phishing and Card Fraud (フィッシング): Fake SMS Messages and Websites Impersonating Banks, Card Providers, and Delivery CompaniesPublic
- General rule from the 国民生活センター: businesses and public agencies ‘will not suddenly ask you by SMS or email to enter your credit-card number, ID, or password.’ Treat such messages as possible scams.
- Common scam method ① Fake delivery SMS: Scammers impersonate Yamato, Sagawa, Japan Post, and other delivery companies, sending ‘delivery missed’ or ‘redelivery’ texts that link to a fake site almost identical to the official one to steal login information. In one case, clicking the link led to about 11万円 in unauthorized charges Guide.
- Common scam method ② Fake bank, card, or online-shopping email: Threatening messages such as ‘You will be fined 200万円 if you do not renew your visa’ or ‘There is a problem with your account; verify it’ trick you into entering your card number or password.
- Common scam method ③ Fake app: A fake site persuades you to install an unknown app, which then automatically sends the same scam SMS to people from your phone, resulting in high communication charges.
- Protection: Do not click links in SMS or emails. If you need to log in, open the official app or website yourself. Never enter your ID, password, or card number on a redirected page. Enable your carrier’s blocking service and security software, and do not reuse the same password across services.
- If you have been caught: Immediately change that password and the passwords for every service where you reused it. Contact your credit-card company or bank right away to suspend the card, change your PIN, and have a replacement issued. Check your transaction history regularly and contact the card company immediately about unknown charges.
Quick Guide to Special Fraud Schemes (National Police Agency SOS47): Impersonation of Immigration Officials, Police, Banks, and Delivery CompaniesOfficial
- オレオレ詐欺 (‘It’s me’ fraud): Scammers impersonate a relative, police officer, or lawyer and ask for money under a pretext such as 示談金 (settlement money) because a relative has gotten into trouble.
- 預貯金詐欺 (bank-deposit fraud): Scammers impersonate police or a bank-association employee and claim your account was used in a crime and that your cash card needs to be replaced, tricking you into handing it over.
- キャッシュカード詐欺盗 (cash-card theft by deception): Someone claims your card has been misused and comes to your home, then switches or steals it.
- 架空料金請求詐欺 (fake-fee billing fraud): Scammers invent an unpaid charge or other debt to demand money.
- 還付金詐欺 (refund fraud): Scammers pretend to process a tax refund or other reimbursement and direct you to use an ATM, but the transaction actually transfers your money to them.
- ニセ警察詐欺 (fake-police fraud): Scammers impersonate police and demand cash in the name of an investigation. In recent years, they have also impersonated immigration officials, claiming a passport has been misused, a 在留カード has a problem, or an acquaintance has been detained at an airport and needs money for fees or bail.
- Remember this common rule: The police, banks, municipal offices, and immigration will never call or visit to ask for your PIN or cash card, tell you to go to an ATM to ‘receive money,’ or call to demand payment. Any of these is a scam.
Social Media Investment and Romance Scams (in recent years, international students have been frequent targets)Variable
- Investment scams: Scammers impersonate celebrities or investment experts in social-media ads, pull you into an ‘investment study’ chat group (such as a LINE or WeChat group), and persuade you to download an ‘investment app.’ At first, they pretend to let you withdraw money to gain your trust.
- Romance scams: After building a relationship through online dating, the scammer repeatedly asks you to remit money for ‘fees,’ a ‘deposit,’ ‘taxes,’ or similar charges.
- Warning signs: They tell you to remit money to a personal bank account, change the receiving account for each transaction, or show numbers rising in the app while never allowing withdrawals.
- According to 警察庁 data, both types have increased significantly in recent years, and the average loss per case often exceeds 1,000万円 To verify (see the relevant year on the National Police Agency’s special-fraud statistics page).
- Protection: Be wary of any group or advertisement promising guaranteed profits, high returns, or limited-time slots. Treat any investment that asks you to deposit money first into a private account as a scam.
What to Do After Being Scammed: Report Lost Cards · Freeze Accounts · Contact the Police · Seek RecoveryOfficial
Step 1: Immediately cancel your card and change your passwords (phishing/card fraud)
If you entered your card number or password, or have unauthorized charges, immediately contact your credit-card company or bank to suspend the card, change your 暗証番号, and get a replacement. Change every password you have reused as well.
Step 2: Contact the police and seek advice
Emergency, crime in progress, or money already stolen → call 110 (police). For non-emergency advice, suspicious calls or texts, or uncertainty about whether something is a scam → call #9110 (警察相談専用電話, police consultation line). For consumer disputes, phishing, or charges → call 188 (消費者ホットライン; connects you to the nearest 消費生活センター).
- 110: Emergencies, crime in progress, or a recent scam
- #9110: Non-emergency police consultation (nationwide number that connects you locally)
- 188: 消費者ホットライン (consumer issues, phishing, or unknown charges)
Step 3: Have the account receiving the stolen funds frozen (to seek recovery)
If you are a victim and have already sent money to a scammer’s account, contact both the police and the financial institution you used as soon as possible. After investigating, the institution may freeze the recipient’s account and file a notice with the 預金保険機構 under the 振り込め詐欺救済法 (Act on Relief for Victims of Fraudulent Bank Transfers; formally, the Act on Payment of Damages Using Deposits in Accounts Used for Crime). The sooner you act, the more likely you are to recover money that has not yet been withdrawn.
Step 4: Apply for a victim recovery distribution
After the other party’s account is frozen, victims apply during the notice period using documents that verify their identity. The remaining balance in the account is divided among victims according to their losses. The entire process (freeze → notice → payment) takes a long time; guidance says it may take 90 days or more, with an application period of at least 30 days To verify (find the account and claim deadline in the Deposit Insurance Corporation announcement, then submit documents to the bank). Only the money still in the account can be distributed; you may not recover the amount already withdrawn in full.
Special case: You’ve become involved in 闇バイト or are being coerced
Even if you have already applied for 闇バイト or been threatened, contacting the police (110/#9110) on your own can help you avoid further crimes and receive police protection from subsequent threats. Get out as soon as possible; waiting until you are ‘arrested’ is the worst outcome.
The rule in a nutshell
If a call or text claims to be from an official organization (immigration, police, bank, or local government office) and involves money, card numbers, or passwords, hang up first and call back using contact details published through official channels to verify it. If an offer sounds too good to be true—easy money, high pay, or buying your bank account—assume it’s a gateway to crime. Stick to these three hard lines: don’t sell your bank account, don’t exchange currency privately, and don’t accept payment-related side jobs from unknown sources. This protects both your money and your residence status. If you’re unsure, you can contact #9110 or 188 for advice in Japanese, sometimes with interpretation available; it’s far better than trying to fix things afterward.
Official verification resources
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Warning about suspicious calls and emails impersonating immigration officialsOfficial information confirming that immigration officials will not ask for money by phone or email.
- National Police Agency SOS47: Measures against special fraudResources on special fraud, fake police, 闇バイト, and related scams.
- National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan: Beware of phishing scamsResources on phishing texts and emails, and how to contact 188 for advice.
- Financial Services Agency: Act on Damage Recovery for Fund Transfer ScamsAccount freezes and the victim recovery distribution system after money has been transferred to scammers.
- Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan: Notices under the Act on Damage Recovery for Fund Transfer ScamsAccess to notices and the application process.
A Mini-Glossary of Japanese Terms You May Hear in Scam CallsOfficial
- 暗証番号あんしょうばんごう
Personal identification number (for your bank card or online banking): No one—not the police, a bank, or immigration officials—will ever call and ask you to say it aloud. If someone asks for it, it’s a scam.
- キャッシュカード
Cash card (bank card used to withdraw cash at an ATM): Legitimate authorities will never come to your home to “hold” or “replace” your card. Anyone asking you to hand over or exchange your card is a scammer.
- 還付金かんぷきん
Refund/tax refund: Scammers pretend to arrange a “refund” and trick you into using an ATM to transfer your money to them. Legitimate refunds are never processed at an ATM.
- 特殊詐欺とくしゅさぎ
Special fraud (a term used by the National Police Agency): A general term for scams in which fraudsters impersonate relatives, police officers, bank staff, or immigration officials and use calls or texts to steal money or cards.
- 振り込め詐欺ふりこめさぎ
Bank transfer scam: A scam that tricks you into making a 振り込み (bank transfer) to a designated account. If you’ve been tricked into transferring money, you may be able to apply for recovery under the Act on Damage Recovery for Fund Transfer Scams.
- 闇バイトやみバイト
Illegal work/criminal side jobs: Criminal recruitment disguised as “easy money for high pay.” The jobs involve roles such as collecting cards or withdrawing cash for scam groups; involvement is a serious crime.
- 在留カードざいりゅうカード
Residence card: Scammers often scare you by claiming “there’s a problem with your residence card” to make you press buttons or disclose information. Immigration officials do not ask for money by phone or email.
Practice Scenario: You Receive a Call from “Immigration”—Practice How Not to Fall for It (Follow Along with the Pronunciation Guide)Experience
もしもし、出入国在留管理庁です。あなたの在留カードに問題があります。
Hello, this is the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. There’s a problem with your residence card.
本当ですか？どんな問題でしょうか。
Really? What’s the problem? (Don’t panic yet; listen to where they’re leading you.)
解決のために、手数料を振り込んでください。暗証番号も確認します。
To resolve this, you need to transfer a processing fee. We also need to verify your password.
入管が電話でお金を要求することはないはずです。
Immigration officials aren’t supposed to ask for money over the phone. (State the hard line and hold firm.)
今すぐ払わないと、強制送還になりますよ。
If you don’t pay immediately, you’ll be deported. (A typical scare tactic to pressure you.)
暗証番号もお金も渡しません。
I won’t give you my password or my money. (Clearly refuse; don’t let them rush you.)
一度切って、公式の番号に自分で電話して確認します。
I’ll hang up first and verify by calling the official number listed publicly myself. (Hang up; never call back using a number they gave you.)
おかしいと思ったら、#9110に相談します。
If something feels wrong, call #9110 (Police Consultation Line) for advice.