Akika Kuromi, Special Anti-Crime Support Officer, Conducts Public Awareness Campaign at Metropolitan Police Department Tamagawa Station's "Special Fraud Prevention Event"

The "Stop Ore-Ore Fraud 47 - Family Bonds Operation" Project Team (abbreviation: SOS47) has been working with police forces in all 47 prefectures nationwide since 2018 to implement measures and public awareness activities to prevent damage from the ongoing special fraud cases by clearly communicating knowledge and prevention methods.

On this occasion, Akika Kuromi (Nogizaka46), Special Anti-Crime Support Officer for the National Police Agency, participated as a special guest in the special fraud prevention event hosted by the Metropolitan Police Department's Tamagawa Police Station and conducted public awareness activities.

■ Support Officer Kuromi: "Those who think, 'I'll be fine,' are the most at risk."

At the beginning of the event, Support Officer Kuromi emphasized the importance of acquiring knowledge about special fraud countermeasures, stating, "New methods of special fraud emerge daily, and I believe that knowing what methods exist and staying updated on the latest ones is the first step in prevention."

She also addressed the recent spread of special fraud damage to younger generations, not just the elderly, appealing to the wide range of attendees: "Anyone can become a victim. Everyone gathered here today should not think of it as someone else's problem. Those who think, 'I'll be fine,' are the most at risk."

Regarding recent special fraud methods, she highlighted the rapidly increasing "fake police scam," warning, "Real police officers absolutely do not show their police IDs or arrest warrants via video calls, SNS, or chat apps. If you encounter such a situation, please consult the police immediately."

■ Support Officer Kuromi: "For special fraud calls to mobile phones, use National Police Agency recommended apps and DigiPolice for countermeasures."

Towards the end of the event, in response to the fact that many special fraud calls come via international calls, Support Officer Kuromi appealed, "For landline phones, outright suspending international calls is an effective countermeasure. This procedure is easy and free for anyone, regardless of phone company or age, to block incoming calls, so I want more people to proceed with this procedure."

As a countermeasure for mobile phones, she mentioned the National Police Agency's recommended apps and the Metropolitan Police Department's crime prevention app "DigiPolice" international call blocking system, stating, "Special fraud calls using international numbers are being made not only to landlines but also to mobile phones. By using these apps, effective countermeasures can be taken even on mobile phones."

[Event Outline]
■ Event Name: Metropolitan Police Department Tamagawa Police Station "Special Fraud Prevention Event"
■ Date: Friday, April 17, Reiwa 8 (2026)
■ Venue: Tamagawa Citizen's Hall "Tamagawa Seseragi Hall"
■ Participant: Akika Kuromi, Special Anti-Crime Support Officer, National Police Agency