Fictitious billing is a fraud scheme demanding payment for services or products never used. A type of special fraud, it uses alarming messages like "unpaid fees for a premium site," "legal action will be taken," or "assets will be seized" to pressure victims into paying. It arrives via SMS, postcards, email, and phone calls.
Three typical patterns exist. First, postcards or SMS titled "Final Notice" or "Legal Action Warning" demanding payment for unknown charges. Second, impersonation of real companies or government agencies (Ministry of Justice, NTT, Amazon) claiming "unpaid fees" via phone or email. Third, one-click fraud where visiting a website triggers a "registration complete" or "charges incurred" message, prompting victims to call a number.
The correct response is to ignore it completely. Calling the listed number exposes your personal information and enables skilled manipulation toward payment. Legitimate court notices arrive via "special delivery" (registered mail), so any "court notice" by postcard or SMS is 100% fake. However, if you receive actual special delivery from a court, consult a lawyer or the Consumer Hotline (188) immediately.
Recently, fictitious billing combined with smishing is increasing: fake delivery SMS leads to a phishing site that harvests personal data, followed by fictitious billing. Ignore all unrecognized charges and consult scam consultation services if concerned. See fraud prevention guide for additional strategies.