Crowdfunding scam in Japan? Where to report it — police, consumer centers, and each platform
Conclusion: report to the platform first, then call Japan's Consumer Hotline (188) in parallel. If it's serious — refusal to refund, no response, apparent fraud — escalate to the police's cyber-crime consultation desk. Neither we nor you have the authority to declare a specific campaign "a scam" — what actually helps is documenting facts and routing them, in order, to the right window.
Before you report: preserve evidence
- Screenshot the project page, your messages with the creator, and your payment history.
- Note down whatever you can confirm about the creator — name, company, contact details.
- Write a factual timeline ("refund refused on X date," "no response since Y date") rather than accusations — facts move faster at every desk below.
1) The platform first
Only the platform can freeze funds or press the creator for answers.
| Platform | Contact / report channel |
|---|---|
| CAMPFIRE | Inquiry form |
| READYFOR | READYFOR Help (contact) |
| Makuake | Makuake Help (contact) |
| GREEN FUNDING | Contact form |
Most projects also have an in-platform message feature to reach the creator directly — but for serious trouble (refund refusal, no response), go straight to the operator's own contact desk above.
2) Japan's Consumer Hotline — 188 ("i-ya-ya")
For money-not-returned or a creator who's gone unresponsive, call 188, Japan's nationwide Consumer Hotline. It routes you (by postal code) to your nearest local consumer affairs center. Outside business hours or on weekends/holidays, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan itself picks up, 10:00–16:00 (closed year-end/New Year). The call is free in substance (standard call charges apply); a trained counselor can advise you or help mediate.
3) Serious cases — police cyber-crime consultation
If refunds keep being refused, the creator's identity itself looks fabricated, or phishing/another crime is involved, contact the National Police Agency's cyber-incident report/consultation/information window (online, via e-Gov) or your local prefectural police's cyber-crime consultation desk. For urgent, in-progress situations, 110 is also an option. The NPA's portal links out to every prefectural police contact.
4) Phishing or a fake site
If a fake page impersonating the platform or a phishing email is involved, Japan's Anti-Spam mail consultation center and the Internet Hotline Center (for illegal content) are additional options. IPA (Japan's information-security agency) also stresses that no legitimate card company or platform will ever ask for your card number or password by email or SMS.
Worth knowing
- Be wary of paid "refund negotiation agencies" that solicit you after a dispute goes public — exhaust the free official channels (188, police) first.
- Backing is support for an attempt, not a purchase — delays, and rarely non-delivery, are part of the risk you accepted. That said, once you've concluded the conduct is genuinely bad, follow the order above and report it.
- For pre-pledge checks, see how to spot a scam, verifying a creator, and the Check tool. For a return that hasn't arrived, see what to do when a Makuake return doesn't arrive; for CAMPFIRE refund conditions, see CAMPFIRE scams and refunds.
Sources
FAQ
- I think I've been scammed on a Japanese crowdfunding site — who do I contact first?
- Contact the platform's own report/inquiry channel first — only the platform can freeze funds or press the creator for answers. In parallel, call Japan's Consumer Hotline (188) for advice or mediation. If it's serious (repeated refund refusal, no response), escalate to the police's cyber-crime consultation desk.
- Is the 188 Consumer Hotline available on weekends?
- On weekdays it connects you to your local consumer affairs center. Outside those hours, including weekends and holidays, the National Consumer Affairs Center itself answers from 10:00 to 16:00 (closed around New Year). Have your postal code ready.
- How do I contact the police about this?
- Use the National Police Agency's online cyber-incident report/consultation/information channel (via e-Gov), or contact your local prefectural police's cyber-crime consultation desk. For urgent situations, 110 is also an option.
