Common patterns
Scams change their details often, but the underlying patterns are consistent: urgency, authority and a request for money or information. Recognising the pattern matters more than memorising any single script.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 特殊詐欺 | tokushu sagi | Phone and remittance fraud |
| オレオレ詐欺 | oreore sagi | The it's me fraud |
| 還付金詐欺 | kanpukin sagi | Refund fraud |
| 架空請求 | kakū seikyū | Fictitious billing |
| Pattern | What they usually say | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fake official | You have a refund or a problem with your records | End the call and contact the office yourself |
| It's me call | A relative in trouble needs money quickly | Hang up and call the relative on a known number |
| Unpaid fee message | You owe money and must pay today | Do not tap the link; check with the company directly |
| Missed delivery message | A parcel could not be delivered, tap to reschedule | Check through the official app or site |
What scammers tend to say
Hearing the typical lines in Japanese helps you recognise them quickly. Official-sounding introductions, talk of refunds or unpaid fees, and pressure to act today are all warning signs.
A real office rarely asks you to go to a machine or pay immediately during an unexpected call.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 市役所の者ですが。 | Shiyakusho no mono desu ga. | I am calling from the city office. |
| 還付金があります。 | Kanpukin ga arimasu. | You are owed a refund. |
| 未払いの料金があります。 | Miharai no ryōkin ga arimasu. | You have an unpaid fee. |
| 今日中に手続きしないと大変なことになります。 | Kyōjū ni tetsuzuki shinai to taihen na koto ni narimasu. | If you do not complete it today, there will be serious trouble. |
| 俺だよ、俺。 | Ore da yo, ore. | It's me, it's me. |
Refusing and ending the call
You do not need to argue or explain. A short, polite refusal followed by ending the call is enough, and it is perfectly acceptable in Japanese.
Choose one refusal phrase and practise it until it comes out automatically.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 結構です。 | Kekkō desu. | No, thank you. |
| 今、忙しいので失礼します。 | Ima isogashii node shitsurei shimasu. | I am busy right now. Goodbye. |
| こちらからかけ直します。 | Kochira kara kakenaoshimasu. | I will call back myself. |
| 個人情報は電話では教えられません。 | Kojin jōhō wa denwa de wa oshieraremasen. | I cannot give personal information over the phone. |
| お名前と所属を教えてください。 | O-namae to shozoku o oshiete kudasai. | Please tell me your name and department. |
Checking whether a contact is real
If a call or message might be genuine, end it and contact the organisation through a number or website you find yourself. Never use a number or link supplied by the caller.
When you call the real office, describe the contact briefly and ask whether it came from them.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| そちらから電話がありましたか。 | Sochira kara denwa ga arimashita ka. | Did someone from your office call me? |
| このようなメッセージが届いたのですが。 | Kono yō na messēji ga todoita no desu ga. | I received a message like this. |
| この電話番号は御社のものですか。 | Kono denwa bangō wa onsha no mono desu ka. | Is this phone number yours? |
| リンクは開いていません。 | Rinku wa hiraite imasen. | I have not opened the link. |
Where to consult and report
If something feels wrong, consult early. The police consultation line, #9110, gives advice on non-emergency matters such as suspicious calls. The consumer hotline, 188, can advise on suspicious billing or contracts. In an emergency, call 110.
If you have already paid or shared card details, contact your bank or card company first to stop further losses, then consult the police.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 詐欺の電話がありました。 | Sagi no denwa ga arimashita. | I received a scam call. |
| お金を振り込んでしまいました。 | O-kane o furikonde shimaimashita. | I have already transferred money. |
| カードの番号を教えてしまいました。 | Kādo no bangō o oshiete shimaimashita. | I gave them my card number. |
| カードを止めてください。 | Kādo o tomete kudasai. | Please stop my card. |
| 警察相談専用電話 | keisatsu sōdan sen'yō denwa | The police consultation line |
Protecting yourself day to day
Most scams are avoided by habits rather than knowledge. Treat unexpected requests for money or information with suspicion, and give yourself permission to end any call.
Explaining what happened is the other half of the skill. Unihongo's Report a Lost Wallet mission lets you practise describing an incident at a police counter with an AI Sensei, and the corrections in the session report help you make the explanation clearer.
- Do not tap links in unexpected messages about payments or parcels.
- Never share card numbers or passwords on an unexpected call.
- Verify through official numbers you look up yourself.
- Talk to someone you trust before sending money under pressure.
- Keep the consultation numbers saved in your phone.