Online recruitment of people for criminal acts called "yami baito" (literally meaning dark part-time jobs) is rampant. Attention must be paid to this illegal behavior, as many young people are casually accepting these jobs.
A search for yami baito on social media will bring up many postings like "Ukedashi -- 5% as a reward" or "100,000 yen or more per day."
Ukedashi is a combination of "ukeko" and "dashiko" -- ukeko are people who take cash or cash cards from victims of special fraud, while dashiko withdraw cash from automated teller machines
These are all criminal acts. There have been a number of cases in which men who applied for the jobs and others broke into the homes of elderly people. These are criminal offenses far removed from the term "part-time jobs."
Yami baito posts emphasize such things as high wages, payment on the day and no risk. In many cases, the recruitment targets people who have lost their jobs or income due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. There are fears that more people will respond to these offers.
It is serious that a large number of young people are involved. Last year, university students, including some from Meiji University and Nihon University, were arrested for allegedly participating in special fraud.
The price they pay is high. After being used as tools for criminal groups, they are subject to criminal punishment. They may be forced to quit school and see their lives ruined. Universities and families need to instruct their students and children not to casually apply for such criminal acts.
The number of victims of special fraud has remained high. Last year, about 17,000 cases were confirmed, resulting in more than 30 billion yen in damage. More than 80% of the victims are elderly people. It is hoped that the police will continue their efforts to crack down on such crimes.
Fraud groups subdivide roles. By luring ordinary young people online and using them as "receivers" or "drawers" at the final stage of the fraud, high-ranking members escape police detection. Some organizations are based in China and Thailand.
Apps are also used that automatically delete social media communications within a group, removing traces of the crime.
It is essential to upgrade investigative capabilities, including internet surveillance, to crack down on sophisticated international crime groups.
The National Police Agency has suspended the use of land-line telephone numbers used in crimes. The Metropolitan Police Department plans to introduce, on a trial basis, a device to jam cell phones at unmanned ATMs from October. The move is aimed at preventing fraud groups from instructing victims to transfer money.
Hopefully, the police will cooperate with financial institutions and telecommunications operators to strive to prevent such damage.
The elderly should also try to protect themselves. It is important to set up an answering machine, and if they get suspicious calls, they should not hesitate to consult with the police.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Aug. 11, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
