Participation in Initiative to Shut Down Phishing Sites: Expanding Joint Efforts Among 13 Domestic Credit Card Companies
au Financial Service joins a collaborative effort with 13 domestic credit card companies to shut down phishing sites starting April 2026.
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- 📰 Published: March 31, 2026 at 20:00
au Financial Service Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Atsushi Nagano; hereinafter "the Company") will participate in an initiative led by the Japan Credit Card Association (JCCA) starting in April 2026, in which 13 domestic credit card companies will jointly work to shut down phishing sites.
The amount of damage caused by unauthorized use of credit cards remains high, estimated at approximately 51 billion yen in 2025. It is estimated that approximately 75% of this damage is caused by phishing, making phishing countermeasures one of the most important issues in the credit card industry. Furthermore, the number of phishing reports has reached approximately 2.45 million per year and is on an upward trend. (Note 1)
The Company has been implementing measures against phishing sites impersonating "au PAY Card," but the methods of unauthorized use are becoming more sophisticated every day, making industry-wide efforts essential. We have begun collaborating with 13 domestic credit card companies, ACSiON, Inc., the Anti-Phishing Japan Council, and the JCCA to detect and shut down phishing sites, striving to suppress unauthorized use and create an environment where customers can use their credit cards with peace of mind.
[About the Initiative]
This initiative, which began in 2025, aims to cover more than 90% of phishing site brands targeting non-financial institutions—which are intended to illicitly obtain credit card information—by significantly expanding the scope of companies targeted for shutdown, including e-commerce/service providers, airline/transportation providers, and delivery providers, thanks to the increase in participating companies including ourselves. This is expected to halve the number of phishing site URLs impersonating non-financial institutions reported in Japan, further strengthening deterrence against phishing damage as a whole.
[List of Participating Companies]
(Table omitted for brevity, includes major Japanese credit card issuers and security organizations.)
In addition, to ensure our customers can use our services with peace of mind, we implement fraud countermeasures such as 24/7 AI-based fraud detection systems, identity authentication services (3D Secure), and email/app push notifications for transaction alerts.
For details on "au PAY Card" security and safety measures, please refer to the following link: https://www.kddi-fs.com/security/
The amount of damage caused by unauthorized use of credit cards remains high, estimated at approximately 51 billion yen in 2025. It is estimated that approximately 75% of this damage is caused by phishing, making phishing countermeasures one of the most important issues in the credit card industry. Furthermore, the number of phishing reports has reached approximately 2.45 million per year and is on an upward trend. (Note 1)
The Company has been implementing measures against phishing sites impersonating "au PAY Card," but the methods of unauthorized use are becoming more sophisticated every day, making industry-wide efforts essential. We have begun collaborating with 13 domestic credit card companies, ACSiON, Inc., the Anti-Phishing Japan Council, and the JCCA to detect and shut down phishing sites, striving to suppress unauthorized use and create an environment where customers can use their credit cards with peace of mind.
[About the Initiative]
This initiative, which began in 2025, aims to cover more than 90% of phishing site brands targeting non-financial institutions—which are intended to illicitly obtain credit card information—by significantly expanding the scope of companies targeted for shutdown, including e-commerce/service providers, airline/transportation providers, and delivery providers, thanks to the increase in participating companies including ourselves. This is expected to halve the number of phishing site URLs impersonating non-financial institutions reported in Japan, further strengthening deterrence against phishing damage as a whole.
[List of Participating Companies]
(Table omitted for brevity, includes major Japanese credit card issuers and security organizations.)
In addition, to ensure our customers can use our services with peace of mind, we implement fraud countermeasures such as 24/7 AI-based fraud detection systems, identity authentication services (3D Secure), and email/app push notifications for transaction alerts.
For details on "au PAY Card" security and safety measures, please refer to the following link: https://www.kddi-fs.com/security/
FAQ
What is the purpose of this initiative?
To collectively detect and shut down phishing sites that steal credit card information, thereby reducing fraudulent usage.
When does it start?
The company will join and expand the initiative starting in April 2026.
Do users need to take any action?
Users should utilize AI fraud detection and 3D Secure services provided by their card companies and avoid accessing suspicious emails or sites.