【🧭Practical Guide】Where to Seek Help for Fraud? | Roles of Police, Lawyers, and Consumer Affairs Centers
When you fall victim to fraud,
many people find themselves unsure of where to seek help (consultation services).
When you look into it,
you will find various information such as:
・You should consult the police
・It is better to consult a lawyer
・There is a Consumer Affairs Center
Immediately after I became a victim of fraud,
I was also unable to organize where I should go for help.
At the time, I only understood as much as:
“The top priority must be the police.
But I also feel like I should talk to a lawyer first.
Maybe other consultation services can wait.”
However, in reality,
the roles differ depending on the consultation service.
In this article, I will organize the differences in the roles of these three common consultation services for fraud victims:① Police
② Lawyer
③ Consumer Affairs Center
【What you will learn in this article】
This article covers the following:
・Main consultation services for fraud victims
・Differences in the roles of the police, lawyers, and consumer affairs centers
・How the consultation service changes depending on your goal
※This article takes about 3 minutes to read.
※This is not a legal explanation, but is based on my own experience and research.
※Handling of fraud cases may vary depending on the details of the incident and the status of evidence.
【Conclusion of this article】
The consultation service is not decided by “which one is correct,” but by
“what your goal is.”
By first organizing your goal,
the consultation service will naturally be determined.
I want them to investigate as a crime
▶︎ Police
I want to request a refund
▶︎ Lawyer
I want to consult someone first
▶︎ Consumer Affairs Center
【Consultation Service ① Police】
The role of the police is to “conduct criminal investigations.”
In other words, what the police determine is
“whether it has the potential to be established as a crime.”
Therefore, even if you consult the police about fraud,
it is not always treated as a criminal case.
In reality,
it is not uncommon to be told, “This is a civil matter.”
However, even if you are told it is a civil matter, it plays an important role in keeping a record of the facts of the damage and confirming the possibility of it becoming a criminal case.
【Consultation Service ② Lawyer】
A lawyer is an “expert who handles legal issues as an agent.”
For example, they handle:
・Claims for damages
・Contract disputes
・Civil lawsuits
In the case of fraud,
requests for refunds are generally handled through civil procedures.
Even if it is investigated as a criminal case,
the request for a refund is basically handled through civil procedures.
Therefore,
if you are considering a refund request or civil procedures,
you should consult a lawyer.
However, just because they are a lawyer,
it does not mean they will always accept your fraud case.
Fraud cases often have unclear recovery prospects, and can be very labor-intensive.
For these reasons,
there are cases where they will not accept the request.
In fact, I consulted many lawyers myself, but
at first, I could not find a lawyer who would take my case.
※If you are worried about legal fees,
you may be able to use free consultations or fee-advancement systems through Houterasu (Japan Legal Support Center).
▶︎ Houterasu Official Website: https://www.houterasu.or.jp
【Consultation Service ③ Consumer Affairs Center】
The Consumer Affairs Center is a “consultation service for consumer troubles.”
You can consult them about contract troubles regarding products or services.
Depending on the nature of the fraud,
it is possible to receive advice.
However, the Consumer Affairs Center is
neither an agency that investigates like the police,
nor an agency that acts as an agent like a lawyer.
Basically, it is a
“service for receiving consultation and advice.”
You can reach your nearest consumer consultation service by calling the Consumer Hotline
“188 (Iyaya).”
If you just want to consult someone first, I think this service has the lowest barrier to entry.
【Summary of points so far】
Each consultation service for fraud victims has a role.
Police
▶ Criminal investigation
Lawyer
▶ Civil procedures
Consumer Affairs Center
▶ Consumer consultation
The consultation service changes depending on your goal.
【Practical flow for fraud consultation】
If you are unsure where to consult about fraud,
it is easy to understand if you organize it in the following order:
① Save evidence
② Organize the timeline
③ Confirm the purpose of the consultation
④ Choose a consultation service
⑤ Prepare consultation materials
【If you are unsure whether to consult the police】
When consulting the police,
some people may feel anxious about what materials to submit,
or whether it will actually be treated as a case.
At the time, after I became a victim of fraud,
I went to the police while still in a state of confusion.
And you will come to know the reality of how the police respond.
I have organized the roles and responses of the police in detail in this article, based on my own actual experience.
Here is the article.
▶【🧭Practical Guide】
“What will the police do for fraud victims? | The reality of police response I learned after actually consulting them”
【For those reading this note for the first time】
If you have been a victim of fraud,
it is important to first organize “what to start with.”
I have organized the overall picture of this note and where you should start reading from in the following article.
If you are unsure, please check here.▶︎【Fraud Structure Research Institute | Roadmap】
“How to read this note”
If you would like to know the reason and background behind why I created this media, please take a look here.
▶︎【Fraud Structure Research Institute】
“A research media that unravels fraud from its structure”
【In closing】
The above explains the differences in the roles of the police, lawyers, and consumer affairs centers.
Once you understand their roles, you can determine where you should consult right now.
I hope my experience can serve as a
“small guide”
for those who are lost in the same place.I will continue to organize and write information useful for fraud victims and fraud prevention as clearly as possible.
(Please also refer to my other articles)
Researcher | Keisuke
Fraud Structure Research Institute