Japan Police to Endorse Fraud Prevention Apps

Tokyo, Jan. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s National Police Agency plans to endorse smartphone applications designed to help combat fraud, featuring functions such as blocking international calls and alerting users to potential scams.

The initiative aims to improve the reliability of such apps and promote their widespread use, as fraud-related losses continue to soar.

The NPA started accepting applications for endorsement in December last year. It expects to select apps as early as March.

As of the end of November last year, losses from so-called special fraud cases, including telephone scams, had reached about 121.3 billion yen, already far exceeding the previous worst on record set in 2024.

About 80 pct of the cases began with phone contact, with calls to smartphones or other mobile phones accounting for 41 pct, up sharply from 25 pct in 2024.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]