Japan Home Renovation Scams Hit Record High in 2025

Tokyo, March 26 (Jiji Press)--The number of home renovation scam cases involving fraudulent home checks that were cracked down on by police across Japan in 2025 reached 83, the highest since existing records began in 2010, National Police Agency data showed Thursday.

Total damage exceeded 15 billion yen, also a record high. Thirty-four cases were linked to “tokuryu” anonymous and transient criminal groups.

Home renovation scams often involve scammers visiting detached homes and telling residents that parts of their property, such as the roof, are broken and need immediate repair, later charging exorbitant repair costs.

In some cases, the scammers intentionally damage parts of homes while pretending to conduct inspections, as well as recommend unnecessary work under the guise of improving homes’ energy efficiency.

Such scams primarily target elderly people.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]