April 21, 2004

Ministry of Public Management,
Home Affairs,
Posts and Telecommunications


Warning against new way of billing unfair charges concerning careless access to URLs attached to email



Since the beginning of this year, the MPHPT has received at its Consumer Advisory Center for Telecommunications Services and the like many inquiries along the lines of "I clicked a URL that was attached to an email message I received and later got a call billing me for several tens of thousands of yen in usage fees" or "Just by clicking on "enter" in an adult site, I was told I had become a member, and that is what it said when I read the contract carefully. What should I do?"

Even in such billings that may appear unfair, there may be cases when the contract stands legally, so please be very vigilant when accessing URLs that are attached to email.

For details refer to the Japanese web site
http://www.soumu.go.jp/s-news/2004/040421_3.html

For further information about this press release, please contact:

International Policy Division, International Affairs Department
Telecommunications Bureau
Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs,
Posts and Telecommunications
Tel: (03) 5253-5920 Fax: (03) 5253-5924

Or visit
http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/contact.html to fill in the inquiry form.