Disaster scams: how to spot them in Japan

災害便乗Why scams follow disasters

After a disaster people are scared, busy and want to help, and scammers know it. The National Police Agency (NPA) put out this warning after the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake:

Translated · National Police Agency 警察庁

“Watch out for suspicious calls, social media posts and home visits taking advantage of the earthquake! Fundraising where it’s unclear where the money goes may be a scam!”

Crimes of particular concern: visiting victims’ homes and getting them to sign contracts for supplies or house repairs by lying or stoking fear; selling unapproved medicines or harmful foods; pretending to be a public body or relief group to collect “donations” in cash, e-money or crypto; pretending to be a victim’s relative or friend and asking for money; and pretending to be a police officer asking for money for quake-related reasons. “If you think something is suspicious, don’t hesitate to ask us.”

原文 (Japanese original)

地震に便乗した不審な電話、SNSや訪問に注意！寄付先が不透明な募金は詐欺の可能性あり！【被災者に対する事犯】被災者宅を訪問し、災害時に必要となる物品の販売や家屋の修繕等をうそを交えたり、不安をあおったりして契約させる行為（特定商取引等事犯）無承認医薬品の販売・広告、健康を損なうおそれがある食品の販売（保健衛生事犯）【被災に関連した事犯】公的機関や災害支援団体等をかたり、義援金の募集を名目に現金、電子マネー、暗号資産等をだまし取る詐欺 被災者の身内や友人等を装い、困窮を理由に送金を求める詐欺 警察官を装い、震災に関連した理由により送金を求める詐欺 これら以外の事犯についても、「怪しい」と思ったら遠慮なくご相談を！

— 警察庁「令和８年熊本地震に関する注意喚起 震災に便乗した悪質事犯にご注意」 (PDF): https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/safetylife/akushitsujihantyuuikanki.pdf · checked 1 Nov 2026

You don’t have to live in the disaster zone to be targeted. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (国民生活センター, “Kokusen”) says: “悪質商法は災害発生地域だけが狙われるとは限りません” (scams don’t only target the disaster area). Its 2026 report adds that these tricks show up long after a disaster too, and far from it.

まとめThe short version

義援金詐欺Fake donation requests (義援金詐欺)

Examples the Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁) has received after past disasters:

Translated · Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁

• A home visit asking for disaster donations.
• A call saying “This is ○○ City Hall. We’re collecting donations. A city official will visit you later.”
• A call asking you to help disaster relief by accepting local specialty goods sent cash-on-delivery.
• An email from a “disaster recovery support group” asking for donations for people suffering from the quake.

Advice: “It is unthinkable that a public body would ask households for donations by phone or similar.” Check with that public body. Check the group’s activities and how the money is used, and when paying into an account, check the account name carefully.

原文 (Japanese original)

・災害の際の義援金をお願いしたいと訪問された。・「○○市役所からです。義援金を募っています。あとから市の職員が訪問します。」と電話があった。・「災害救済のために名産品を代引配達で送るので協力してほしい」と電話があった。・災害復興支援団体を名乗り「震災で苦しんでいる人に義援金をお願いします」とのメールが届いた。…公的機関が、各家庭に電話等で義援金を求めることは考えられません。当該公的機関に確認しましょう。募っている団体等の活動状況や使途をよく確認し、納得した上で義援金を寄付しましょう。口座に振り込む場合は、振込先の名義をよく確認しましょう。

— 消費者庁「震災に関する義援金詐欺に御注意ください」: https://www.caa.go.jp/disaster/caution_001 · checked 1 Nov 2026

The Financial Services Agency (金融庁) adds tricks seen after past quakes and the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake: messages, calls or social media accounts posing as well-known volunteer groups that lead to a fake website and a different bank account; and a social media “rescue request” from an address that doesn’t exist, followed by a “thank you, now please send e-money for future costs”. Its advice: before you pay, check that the account number and name match what the real group has published (for example on TV or in newspapers).

WardReady suggestion: rather than answering a request, go to the charity’s own website by typing the address yourself, and give through the channels it lists there.

公的機関をかたるFake officials, fake refunds

Scammers like to borrow authority: city hall, the tax office, the police, even the consumer agencies.

• “You’re owed a refund, go to an ATM.” The NPA says callers claim to be from the local government, tax office or pension office, say you are owed money, rush you to an ATM with your mobile phone and talk you through the buttons. In fact you are sending your money to them. “ATMでお金が返ってくることは、絶対にありません” (you will never get money back at an ATM). To check, call your nearest police station back yourself.
• “Your area now qualifies for compensation.” Kokusen reports a call after a typhoon claiming the area had become eligible for compensation, followed by a visit from a firm offering to file an insurance claim for a 45% success fee.
• “City hall needs your unused things for victims.” In another Kokusen case a caller said they were from city hall collecting relief goods for a nearby prefecture, asked for unused dishes, then asked for rings and kimono. It was a precious-metal buyer.
• Fake “consumer centre” mail. The Consumer Affairs Agency warns about fake postcards using the names of Kokusen and the agency itself.

点検商法“Free inspections” and door-to-door repairs

This is the biggest category. After quakes and typhoons, firms knock on doors offering to check your roof, gutters or breaker box (分電盤), then say something is broken and needs work today.

Translated · National Consumer Affairs Center 国民生活センター

Complaints received after disasters include:

• After a quake, a firm visited to “inspect the roof” and a roof contract was signed. When it was cancelled, the firm billed for blue tarp work done before the contract.
• Roof tiles slipped in a typhoon. A firm called for a quote put a sheet over the roof and presented a high bill.
• After a free roof inspection: told it would leak if left alone, and pushed into an expensive contract.

Advice: be careful with repair contracts. Even if pressed, don’t decide on the spot; if possible get quotes from several firms and compare. Even after signing, cooling-off may be possible.

原文 (Japanese original)

・地震後「屋根の点検をする」と業者から訪問を受け、屋根工事の契約をした。その後、屋根工事を解約したら契約前に行われたブルーシート設置代金を請求された。・台風で自宅の屋根瓦がずれ、見積もりのつもりで業者を呼んだら、屋根にビニールシートをかけられ高額な作業料金を提示された。…・屋根の無料点検後、このまま放置すると雨漏りすると言われ高額な契約をさせられた …修理工事等の契約は慎重にしましょう・契約を迫られても、その場では決めず、できれば複数社から見積もりを取って比較検討しましょう・契約後でも、クーリング・オフができる場合があります

— 国民生活センター「ご用心 災害に便乗した悪質商法」 (updated 29 Jun 2026): https://www.kokusen.go.jp/soudan_now/data/disaster.html · checked 1 Nov 2026

Kokusen’s 2026 report says breaker-box inspections are now a common opener: a man turned up saying many fires after a recent quake were caused by breaker boxes and had a resident in his 80s sign a replacement contract on the spot. A builder he asked later said it did not need replacing. (Real fire-safety advice for breakers is in our power outage guide.)

For help finding a proper builder, the Consumer Affairs Agency leaflet points to the housing advice line Sumai-ru Dial (住まいるダイヤル) 03-3556-5147.

保険金請求代行“Your insurance will pay”: claim agents

A firm says your fire insurance (火災保険) will cover the repair, so it’s “free”, and offers to handle the claim (申請代行) for a fee or a cut. In Kokusen’s data for FY2021–2025, these claim-filing services were the No.1 complaint linked to typhoons (1,028 cases, 29.1%) and to earthquakes (714, 18.2%).

Translated · National Consumer Affairs Center 国民生活センター

“Check what your insurance covers and how to claim… Claiming insurance is, as a rule, something the policyholder does themselves. Check how to make a claim so you can deal with it yourself smoothly when the time comes.”

原文 (Japanese original)

家電や家具、寝具や衣類などが被害にあった際に補償対象となるのか、加入している火災保険の契約内容を確認し、不明な点は保険会社に問い合わせるなどして、平常時に契約内容を把握しておくことが大切です。また、保険金の請求は加入者自身で行うことが基本です。いざというときスムーズに自分で対応ができるよう、保険金請求の申請方法をチェックしておきましょう。

— 国民生活センター「自然災害に関連する消費者トラブルを未然に防ぐために」(4 Mar 2026, PDF): https://www.kokusen.go.jp/pdf/n-20260304_1.pdf · checked 1 Nov 2026

The Consumer Affairs Agency’s leaflet shows the typical lines: “Your roof tiles have slipped”, “You can fix it with insurance, it costs nothing”, and even “Let’s say the rain broke it, then insurance will pay for the old parts too”. Some firms use names that sound like a public body. It warns that the payout may not come or may be smaller than the bill, that you may face a high cancellation fee, and that you can’t claim insurance with a false reason (it may count as fraud). Its 2024 notice adds that claiming wear-and-tear as storm damage can lead the insurer to demand the money back or cancel your policy, and you may be charged with fraud (詐欺罪). Questions about insurance: ask your insurer or agent directly.

フィッシングPhishing texts and emails

The NPA says fake emails and SMS pretend to be real companies (mobile carriers, delivery firms, banks) and lead to a copy of the real site to steal IDs, passwords and card numbers, or to install malware that then texts everyone in your contacts. It has also seen emails claiming to be from government offices. Its advice:

• Don’t tap links in emails or SMS. Links and sender names are easy to fake. Bookmark official sites or use the official app.
• Banks never ask for your ID or password by email or SMS.
• Use your carrier’s spam-message blocking, keep your phone updated, use one-time passwords or face/fingerprint login, and don’t reuse passwords.
• If you entered details: change that password on every service that uses it, contact your bank or card company, and report it to the police.

WardReady suggestion: for real alerts after a disaster, use the sources you set up in advance: your ward’s official site and apps, and the official links on your ward page.

賃貸Renting? Know who fixes what

Kokusen also gets complaints from tenants after disasters: a broken water heater with no rent reduction, or a flooded flat the manager said was “an act of God”. Its advice (translated summary): it depends on the damage, but as a rule the landlord must make the repairs needed to use the home as agreed, and if they don’t, you can probably negotiate lower rent. Check your lease and know who to call (landlord or management company) before anything happens. Check what your contents insurance covers, too.

クーリング・オフAlready signed? Cooling-off

Translated · Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁

“For door-to-door sales, you can cancel the contract within 8 days of the day you received the contract document.” Even after 8 days, cancellation may be possible, so consult a consumer affairs centre. Do it in writing, such as a postcard (email or other electronic records are also OK). Keep a copy and proof of sending. Even if the contract says “no cooling-off”, you may still be able to cancel.

原文 (Japanese original)

訪問販売による取引は、契約書面を受け取った日から８日間以内であれば、契約解除ができます。※８日間を過ぎていても契約の取消しができる場合もあります。消費生活センター等に相談してください。【クーリング・オフの方法】①ハガキなどの書面で行います（電子メールやUSBメモリ等の電磁的記録でも可能です）。…契約書に「クーリング・オフできない」と書いてあったり、クーリング・オフ期間を過ぎているように見えても、契約を解除できる場合があります。

— 消費者庁「災害に便乗した悪質商法に注意!」 (PDF): https://www.caa.go.jp/disaster/assets/consumer_transaction_cms101_260807_01.pdf · checked 1 Nov 2026

相談窓口Who to call (incl. English)

Outside Tokyo, #9110 and 188 work nationwide; check your prefecture’s police and consumer centre for language support. The Immigration Services Agency collects multilingual disaster information here: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00469.html.

注意したい言葉Phrases to be wary of

These are normal Japanese words, but if you hear them from a stranger at the door or on the phone after a disaster, slow down and check.

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Next: get ready so you’re not rushed into anything: build your emergency home kit, read what to do when the power goes out, tick off the go-bag checklist, and save your ward’s official contacts: Chiyoda · Chuo · Minato · Shinjuku · Bunkyo · Taito · Sumida · Koto · Shinagawa · Meguro · Ota · Setagaya · Shibuya · Nakano · Suginami · Toshima · Kita · Arakawa · Itabashi · Nerima · Adachi · Katsushika · Edogawa.

出典Sources (checked 2026-11-01)

• National Police Agency 警察庁「令和８年熊本地震に関する注意喚起 震災に便乗した悪質事犯にご注意」(PDF): https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/safetylife/akushitsujihantyuuikanki.pdf
• National Police Agency 警察庁「令和８年熊本地震に関する注意喚起 震災時の防犯対策」(PDF): https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/safetylife/bouhantaisaku.pdf
• National Police Agency 警察庁 SOS47「還付金詐欺」: https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/safetylife/sos47/case/refund/
• National Police Agency 警察庁「フィッシング対策」: https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/cyber/countermeasures/phishing.html
• Financial Services Agency 金融庁「義援金等を装った詐欺にご注意！＜令和８年熊本地震関連＞」(updated 6 Aug 2026): https://www.fsa.go.jp/ordinary/earthquake202607/gienkinsagi.html
• Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁「震災に関する義援金詐欺に御注意ください」: https://www.caa.go.jp/disaster/caution_001
• Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁 リーフレット「災害に便乗した悪質商法に注意!」(PDF): https://www.caa.go.jp/disaster/assets/consumer_transaction_cms101_260807_01.pdf
• Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁 注意喚起「火災保険を使って実質的に無料で修理ができる」などとうたう事業者 (27 Jun 2024, PDF): https://www.caa.go.jp/notice/assets/consumer_policy_cms103_240627_01.pdf
• Consumer Affairs Agency 消費者庁「消費者ホットライン」188: https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/local_cooperation/local_consumer_administration/hotline/
• National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan 国民生活センター「ご用心 災害に便乗した悪質商法」(updated 29 Jun 2026): https://www.kokusen.go.jp/soudan_now/data/disaster.html
• 国民生活センター「自然災害に関連する消費者トラブルを未然に防ぐために」(4 Mar 2026): https://www.kokusen.go.jp/news/data/n-20260304_1.html
• 同 報道発表資料 (PDF): https://www.kokusen.go.jp/pdf/n-20260304_1.pdf
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department 警視庁, Help hotline information (English, page dated 30 Mar 2017): https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/multilingual/english/finding_services/help_desk/hotline_info.html
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government 東京くらしWEB「電話による外国語相談」(updated 27 Nov 2025): https://www.shouhiseikatu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/sodan/sodan_foreign.html
• Immigration Services Agency 出入国在留管理庁 FRESC「相談窓口」: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/fresc/fresc_2.html
• Immigration Services Agency, multilingual disaster information: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00469.html