The names of the scams change. But there are 4 suspicious signs.
Posing as an organization, a problem or a prize, 'right now', a specific way to pay.
Fraud Schemes and How to Protect Yourself
How to respond to phone calls claiming to be from the police or to high-pressure solicitations. We will learn about the methods and where to seek advice through specific examples.
Suppose you receive a call like this. Someone claiming to be a police officer says, "Your account is being used for a crime. Your cash card needs to be exchanged."
The list of scam methods published by Japan's National Police Agency includes one almost exactly like this: deposit fraud. Scammers pose as relatives, police officers or staff of a bankers' association, say that your account is being used for a crime, and trick you into handing over your cards or passbooks. The National Police Agency writes that staff of local governments or bankers' associations will never ask for your PIN or come to collect your cash card.
This call already contains two common signs of a scam: pretending to be from an organization you know, and saying there is a problem. The US consumer agency FTC writes that the name and number shown on your screen can be faked.
The way to check is simple. Do not call back the number they gave you; call a number you looked up yourself. Before you do anything, talk to someone you trust.
The names of scams change from country to country and year to year. In this course you will acquire the four signs that keep recurring, three steps to use on the spot — hang up, verify, talk — and places to turn for advice. In seventeenth-century London, a counterfeiter manufactured false coins while standing on the side of those proposing reforms to the Mint. The pattern of winning trust through a borrowed name goes back to the age of gold coins.
Cleverness Is No Defence — Four Warning Signs
The FTC, a consumer agency in the United States, summarizes the signs of a scam into four points. They pretend to be a familiar organization. They say there is a problem or a prize. They pressure you to act immediately. They specify a particular way to pay. These are the four signs.
Japan's National Police Agency's list of tactics can be read with the same framework. The fake police scam is a tactic where scammers impersonate police officers and trick people into giving them cash under the pretext of an investigation. This combines pretending to be an organization with fabricating a problem. The refund scam involves having the victim operate an ATM under the guise of a tax refund procedure. This combines fabricating a problem with specifying a particular way to pay.
The names of the tactics change with the country and the year. The four signs appear repeatedly.
What the scammer is after is your time to check. The FTC writes that scammers want you to act before you have time to think.
This course begins by applying these four signs to the calls and messages you have recently received.
Why even smart people get deceived
Time to read the text: about 8 min
The review questions are optional and not included in this time.
What you can read: everything, free
Protect Yourself from Scams in 3 Minutes
1See it
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Calls claiming to be from the police or a bank. They can fake names and caller IDs.
They will never ask for your PIN or come to pick up your card.
The fake story is either 'you're in trouble' or 'you've won'.
Both lead to making you pay first.
'Do it now' and 'Don't hang up' are signs of a scam all by themselves.
Legitimate organizations will give you time to decide.
ATM, cryptocurrency, gift cards. Demanding a specific way to pay is a sign.
Can't be canceled, can't be traced, anonymous.
Before you borrow money, check if the lender is officially registered.
Words like 'Bank' or 'Trust' in the name are not proof of credibility.
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Even old-time counterfeiters posed as gentlemen discussing reform.
Pretending to be on the side of authority is an age-old trick.
Hang up, check, and talk to someone. Call 188 or #9110 for help.
Talk to family or an official helpline the same day.
2In numbers
188
Consumer Hotline. Connects you to your nearest consumer affairs center.
9110
Police consultation line (dial #9110).
3What would you do?
The phone rings. 'This is the police. Your bank account has been used in a crime. We are coming to pick up your bank card now.' What do you do?
Pick one
Call back the number they gave you on the phone to check.
Caller IDs and names can be faked. If you call back, don't use the number they provided. Use an official number you looked up yourself.
Hang up, and call an official number you looked up yourself or #9110.
This is the right move. Police officers or bank association staff will never come to pick up your bank card. You have nothing to lose by hanging up to verify.
They sound like they're in a hurry, so I'll get my card ready.
Rushing you by saying 'right now' is a sign of a scam. First, hang up the phone. Then, talk to family or an official helpline the same day.
Who is the person you will 'talk to'? Decide on one person's name ahead of time.
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What you will understand after this course
- Be able to apply the four signs of a scam (impersonating an organization, a problem or a prize, time pressure, a specific payment method) even to tactics seen for the first time.
- Be able to state the types of scams published by the police and consumer agencies, and place them in the context of situations encountered in one's own life.
- When solicited, be able to use the three steps—disconnect, verify, and discuss—on the spot.
More about this course
Course number: P1 — Why even smart people get deceived
Supervised by: Mitsuru Hayama
Beyond the text: 6 exercises · 3 readings How reading times are calculated
You will also understand
- Can choose where to seek advice (such as 188 and #9110 in Japan, or the FTC in the US) both before and after an incident.
Assessment
6 exercises in this course (4 check, 0 compare, 2 written). Progress is recorded by self-assessment.
The 8 chapters of this course
- Cleverness Is No Defence — Four Warning SignsThe names of scams change. The four signs keep recurring. When you notice one, stop and verify with a number you looked up yourself.
- Impersonating an organization — Posing as the police, a bank, or a government officeThe name they use and the number they display can be faked. Do not call back the number they provide. Call a number you have looked up yourself.
- A problem or a prize — "I'm in trouble" and "I've won"A fabricated story is either "I'm in trouble" or "I've won." The exit for both is "making you pay first."
- Time Pressure — By Today・Only Now・Don't Hang Up'Right now' is a warning sign. Stop・Hang up・Verify・Talk. You lose nothing by verifying after you hang up.
- Specific payment methods — Crypto-assets, money transfer services, gift cards, ATMIf a payment method is specified, you don't need to examine the details. Irreversible, untraceable, and anonymous payment methods are a sign in themselves.
- Patterns in borrowing — unregistered lenders and 'same-day loans'.First, verify the lender's registration. If it cannot be confirmed, do not borrow. The words 'Bank' and 'Trust' in a name are not a basis for trust.
- The Counterfeiter and the Investigator — The Molds are the Same as 300 Years AgoThe trust in a guarantee is the same sentiment that makes currency convenient. Since it cannot be eliminated, we must protect it with procedure.
- Three Steps to Protect Yourself — Disconnect, Verify, TalkDisconnect, Verify, Talk. In Japan, use 188 and #9110. Even after being victimized, you can check civil rules like cooling-off periods at a help desk.
Readings (3)
- The Birth of the Counterfeit Overview: the world A history of false money General History
Because the weakness of currency—that people who trust the guarantee do not check its contents—is the very pattern of fraud itself. - The Touchstone Overview: the world A history of false money antiquity
The history of the touchstone, a "tool for verification." Even fabricated stories need a touchstone. - Newton versus Chaloner Overview: the world A history of false money AD 1699
A counterfeiter who sided with proposing reforms. The form of the "pretense" pattern from 300 years ago.
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Read next
History of Counterfeit Coins and Banknotes →After scams, the history of forgery shows how trust itself is exploited: the tricks used to make fakes, and the tricks used to catch them.
What you learn next: You can explain why anti-forgery devices aim at recognisability rather than at looks.
Time to read the text: about 20 min ／ What you can read: the course opening and contents are free; the full text is for those who have purchased