Three steps when solicited — Hang up, Verify, Talk.

When to use　When asked for money or personal information by phone, in person, or by message.

The order is part of the pattern. If you stop at the first step, the rest will follow naturally. Deciding in advance who to talk to will speed up the second and third steps.

Procedure

1. Hang upHang up the phone. Close the screen. Do not pay, hand over, or operate anything on the spot.
2. VerifyCall the official number you found yourself (back of your passbook, official website), not the one provided by the other party.
3. TalkTo your family, the Consumer Hotline 188, or the police consultation service #9110, within the same day.

In other countries

In the U.S., the FTC lists "resist the pressure to act immediately" and blocking unwanted calls as the first lines of defense.

Source (Archive)

• How To Avoid a ScamFederal Trade Commission (FTC), Consumer Advice
• Consumer Affairs Centers, etc., NationwideNational Consumer Affairs Center of Japan
• List of methods and countermeasures you can take starting today (SOS47 Special Fraud Countermeasures Page).National Police Agency.

Related Subjects and Practical Skills

P1　Scam Pattern Book — Four Signs and the Methods Publicized in Japan