It is seen as a new method of loan sharks.

It was found that the number of companies that accept cash back in the name of cash back, etc. by selling landscape photographs etc. after payment has increased rapidly since the spring of 2020.

It is used by people whose income has decreased due to the spread of infection, but experts said, "In fact, there are a series of troubles in which people cannot pay the price that is about twice the amount received and receive malicious collection. It is a loan shark, and it is necessary to grasp the actual situation immediately. "

This commercial law, called "deferred cashing," sells products of 10,000 to 200,000 yen with deferred payment, while accommodating cash to users in the name of rewards for writing product reviews and cash back. ..



We handle a variety of products such as landscape photographs and e-books, and on the condition that you pay by the due date, cash of about half of the sales price will be transferred on the day you apply.

It is said that it is used by people whose income has decreased due to the spread of infection due to the ease of getting cash immediately, but according to the people concerned, most of the products are only provided as data, and in fact , It means that only cash is exchanged.



Currently, it is not subject to regulations such as the Money Lending Business Act, so the sales site is lined with complaints such as "No debt history remains" and "Black is OK".



However, the price paid by the user is about twice the amount received, which is several hundred percent when converted to annual yield, so there are a series of troubles in which the user cannot pay by the due date and receives malicious collection from the vendor.



The number of "deferred cashing" vendors is expected to have increased sharply since March 2020, when the infection with the new coronavirus spread, and as of December 25, there are 61 sales sites that can only be confirmed.

Rapid increase in consultations after summer Corona impact

Since the summer of 2020, more than 700 consultations from users have been received one after another at the judicial scrivener offices in each region that provide consultations on loan sharks.



Of these, the judicial scrivener office in Osaka City began receiving consultations from around July saying, "I'm having trouble paying for it."

Since the number exceeded 100 in August, it has continued to increase with each passing month, reaching 262 in November.



Most of them applied for it because of the complaint that "the debt history is not recorded", but they could not pay the price by the due date, and they received a malicious collection such as a phone call to their office or used another company. It is said that there are many users who fall into a state of multiple debts while using it for payment.



Also, at another judicial scrivener office where consultations have increased especially since autumn, many people have been forced to take steps to earn their living expenses for the time being due to a significant decrease in income due to the influence of the new coronavirus. ..



Mr. Katsunori Maeda, a judicial scrivener, said, "As the number of people who cannot pay rent and utilities due to the spread of infection is increasing, those who are really in trouble want cash right now." Postpaid cashing 』The trader is taking advantage of it and making a leap forward. Also, although general salaried workers are also using it because they recognize that it is not a debt, the reality is that they lend at an interest rate that is several tens of times the upper limit stipulated by law. There are very many cases in which you end up in a state of multiple debts. I want you to stop doing it easily. "

User "I regret putting my hand out"

Some users of "deferred cash" have said that their debt has actually increased as a result of trying to make up for the income lost due to the effects of the new coronavirus.



A man in his thirties who works for a transportation company has lost overtime due to the spread of the infection, and his monthly income has decreased by about 80,000 yen.

In July, a man who managed to support four family members, including overtime pay, was unable to keep up with his life and used a "postpaid cashing" company for the first time in order to supplement his food expenses.

It is said that he was struck by the complaint that "there is no history of debt".



This company said that it would sell information for earning income on SNS for 20,000 yen, and that it would cash back 10,000 yen as soon as it was purchased and a review was written.

It is said that a man who was in trouble because his income was significantly reduced applied without hesitation because of its ease of use.



The only product was the PDF file sent to LINE, but when I wrote a word of "useful" on the site, 10,000 yen was immediately transferred.



The man said, "At that time, I had a strong desire to eat somehow, so when the cash was transferred, I was relieved."



However, it was difficult for him to pay double the amount of 20,000 yen while his income did not recover, and the man said that he had reached the deadline one month later.

Then, the next day, I suddenly got a call from the contractor at my office.

In the case of money lending business, it is an act prohibited by law.



A man who is rushed to be known to the company and his family uses another vendor to make the payment.

After that, every time the payment was due, we fell into a vicious circle of using another company, and the payment amount increased from 20,000 yen to 130,000 yen in just three months.



In addition, some companies have sent messages such as "criminal accusation" on LINE regardless of late night or early morning, or threatened to expose personal information to the Internet, and it is said that men have been mentally cornered.



When the judicial scrivener who was consulted contacted the contractor, the collection was gone, and the man said, "At first I thought that I was saved, but from the middle I realized that it was the same as debt. I didn't want to worry about it, but I regret having done it. "

Over 60 vendor sales sites

As of December 25, there are a total of 61 sites operated by "postpaid cashing" companies.



According to NHK's investigation of the acquisition time of the "domain", which is the address on the Internet required to open the site, all 60 sites except one were after March 2020, and the number increased rapidly after the spread of the new coronavirus infection. It turned out that it seems to have been done.

There are various products on the sales site such as landscape photographs, e-books, and paintings, and the most common one was "to introduce information for earning income for a fee."



The price is about 10,000 to 200,000 yen, and it is said that about half of that price will be cashed back, but according to the people concerned, the product is only provided as data such as a PDF file, and it is worth the price. Most of them aren't there.

Some of the PDF files that users actually purchased as products were just cut and pasted texts and illustrations from other sites, and some were ready for anyone to view online.



This time, NHK interviewed several vendors who operate sales sites over the phone and asked about the recognition of loan sharks.

Of these, the company that sells landscape photographs said, "We only pay the cooperation money to the users who purchased the product and cooperated with the promotion at an early stage," and said that it does not correspond to loan sharks. Insisted.



On the other hand, another company said, "We sell products that can be downloaded with mobile phones, and it is not a money lending business." However, he said, "I would like to respond immediately if there is guidance or suggestions from the Financial Services Agency."

Expert "de facto loan shark"

Professor Hiroshi Doshita of Tokyo University of Information Sciences, who is familiar with the problem of loan sharks, said, "'Postpaid cashing' takes the form of buying and selling goods, but it actually constitutes the money lending business of lending and collecting money. It is made up of two factors. Also, when the difference between the cash received by the user and the price of the product is converted into annual interest, it greatly exceeds the upper limit stipulated by law, so such a commercial law is considered to be a de facto loan shark. I point out.



After that, he said, "It is necessary for the government to immediately grasp the specific method and the actual situation of collection and then call attention to the people."

Financial Services Agency "Proceed with grasping the actual situation"

Regarding the rapid increase in the number of "deferred cashing" companies, the Financial Services Agency said, "Even if it is a sales contract, there is a good possibility that it will be a money lending business from the actual situation, and we are currently grasping the method and damage situation. We would like to cooperate with the investigative authorities in the future. "



After that, he said, "If you try to get cash in the near future, you may get into trouble, so please be careful."