Do Not Hesitate to Contact the Police
If you have fallen victim to phone fraud - or even received a suspicious call - contacting the police is the most important first step. Yet many people hesitate, thinking "Is this really worth bothering the police about?" or "The amount was small, so they probably won't care." According to a National Police Agency survey, only about 60% of special fraud victims contacted the police immediately after the incident; the remaining 40% either delayed or never reported at all.
Delayed reporting directly leads to greater losses. Account freezing under the Act on Damage Recovery from Fraud (commonly known as the Furikome Fraud Relief Act) is a race against time - a one-hour delay can drastically reduce the recoverable amount. NPA statistics show that when victims report within 30 minutes, the account freeze success rate is roughly 70%, but after 24 hours it drops below 10%. Moreover, the accumulation of victim reports is essential for identifying and dismantling criminal organizations. Your report could be the clue that saves someone else. While knowing how to prevent bank transfer fraud is important, knowing what to do after becoming a victim is equally critical. Bank transfer fraud causes annual losses of approximately 30 billion yen in Japan.
#9110 - How to Use the Police Consultation Hotline
What Is #9110?
#9110 is a dedicated police phone line for consultations about crime prevention and public safety. While 110 is for emergencies, #9110 handles non-emergency inquiries. Dialing #9110 automatically connects you to the consultation desk of the prefectural police in your area.
Hours are generally weekdays 8:30 - 17:15, though they vary by prefecture. Weekends and holidays may be handled by duty officers. Call charges apply.
When to Call #9110
- You received a suspicious call but have not yet suffered financial loss
- You are unsure whether a call was a scam
- You are receiving repeated nuisance calls
- You received threatening language over the phone
- You want advice on whether to file a crime report
- You want to report a past incident even now
When calling, provide the date and time of the call, the caller's number, what was said, and whether you suffered any loss. Having a call recording enables a more specific response.
Preparing for Your Consultation
Organize the following information in advance for an effective consultation:
- Chronological account - when you received the call, what was said, and how you responded
- Caller number - screenshots of your call history
- Call content - the caller's claimed identity, demands, and any threatening statements
- Damage details - whether financial loss occurred and the amount, plus transfer destination details
- Evidence - recordings, SMS messages, emails, transfer receipts
Guides on writing crime reports can help you move smoothly from consultation to filing a formal report. See also how to preserve evidence of phone harassment to organize your evidence systematically before the consultation.
Filing a Crime Report
Crime Report vs. Criminal Complaint
A crime report (higai todoke) is a document notifying the police of the facts of a crime. A criminal complaint (kokuso-jo) additionally expresses the victim's intent to seek punishment of the offender. For phone fraud, the typical approach is to file a crime report first and consider a formal complaint as the investigation progresses.
- Crime report - notifies the police of the facts; does not create a legal obligation to investigate, but serves as a trigger for investigation
- Criminal complaint - requests punishment of the offender; creates a legal obligation to investigate (Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 242); typically drafted by a lawyer
What to Include in a Crime Report
A crime report should contain the following. Forms are available at the police station, so you can fill them in at the counter:
- Victim's name, address, and contact information
- Date, time, and location of the incident
- Details of the fraud (the scam method, what the caller said)
- Amount of loss (transferred or handed over)
- Information about the perpetrator (claimed name, phone number, bank account details)
- Available evidence (recordings, transfer receipts, etc.)
Once your report is accepted, be sure to note the "acceptance number." You will need it for follow-up inquiries and insurance claims.
If Your Report Is Not Accepted
In rare cases, a police station may be reluctant to accept your crime report, citing "insufficient evidence" or "small loss amount." If this happens:
- Clearly state "I would like you to accept my crime report"
- Ask for the reason for refusal in writing
- Contact the prefectural police headquarters consultation desk
- Ask a lawyer to accompany you
Non-acceptance of crime reports has been recognized as a social issue, and in 2019 the NPA issued a directive to all prefectural police stating that crime reports should be accepted as a general rule. See also how to report phone scams to prepare an objective explanation of your situation.
Cybercrime Consultation Desks
Role of Cybercrime Desks
When phone fraud is combined with internet or email schemes - such as luring victims to phishing sites or fake investment platforms - the cybercrime consultation desk of your prefectural police is also a valuable resource. These desks specialize in digitally-enabled crime and have stronger technical investigation capabilities than general community safety divisions.
Examples of cases you can report:
- SMS phishing combined with phone calls (smishing)
- Fraud using fake investment websites or apps
- Fraud using caller ID spoofing (number spoofing)
- Calls directing victims to install malicious apps
- Investment scams that begin with social media contact and continue by phone
NPA Online Reporting
The National Police Agency also accepts cybercrime consultations online. You can submit a form on the NPA's official website 24 hours a day. This is useful when urgency is low or when a phone consultation is difficult.
What Happens After Your Consultation
Investigation Progress
After you file a crime report, the police may conduct the following investigations:
- Querying the subscriber information for the phone number used by the perpetrator
- Querying the account holder information for the transfer destination
- Reviewing security camera footage (ATM withdrawals, identifying money mules)
- Analyzing call records
- Investigating connections to other victims
You can inquire about the progress of the investigation by providing your crime report acceptance number. However, information related to investigative secrecy may not be disclosed. Special fraud is a priority area for police, with roughly 7,000 arrests made in 2023.
Recovering Lost Funds
In parallel with the police investigation, pursue account freezing and damage recovery distribution under the Furikome Fraud Relief Act. The request to freeze the account must be made by the victim directly to the financial institution, separately from the police consultation. After the account is frozen, the Deposit Insurance Corporation publishes a notice of the damage recovery distribution procedure, and victims can apply to receive their share. Books on the Furikome Fraud Relief Act provide detailed procedural guidance.
Practicing how to handle calls from unknown numbers on a daily basis is also important for prevention. Vishing (voice phishing) tactics grow more sophisticated every year, and familiarizing yourself with where and how to report nuisance calls in advance is the first step in self-defense.
Summary
If you fall victim to phone fraud, consulting the police is indispensable for both recovering your losses and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Use #9110 for consultations, file a crime report, and leverage cybercrime desks as needed. Organizing a chronological account, caller numbers, call content, and evidence before your consultation will make the process faster and more effective. There is no need to wonder whether your case is "worth reporting." Your report could be the key to preventing the next victim from falling for the same scheme.