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. Perpetrators increasingly posed as police officers, making international calls from their overseas bases. Between January and November last year, 76 pct of calls linked to special fraud originated from international numbers, often starting with +1 or other country codes. Apps to be endorsed by the NPA must meet criteria, including the ability to block both international and domestic calls from numbers previously used in fraud cases and to deliver crime prevention information, such as the latest fraud schemes collected by the agency. The NPA also has high expectations for the initiative to facilitate functional improvements through private-sector technologies, such as AI-based fraud detection. Currently, most crime prevention apps are paid for, but the agency expects endorsed apps to be offered free of charge in principle. Apps that pass the NPA screening will be allowed to display the agency’s logo and emblem. While development costs will not be subsidized, developers are expected to benefit from improved credibility and public image. The NPA will also publish user statistics and highlight apps that successfully prevented fraud on its website. Recently, new scam methods have emerged, luring people to download a fraudulent app disguised as “Digi Police,” a security app developed by Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department. The NPA will also consider measures to prevent abuse of endorsed apps. “Not answering phone calls from perpetrators is an effective countermeasure,” an NPA official said. “We hope to promote (endorsed) apps and reduce fraud-related losses.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]