A reliable Japanese car exporter is a registered company you can look up on Japanese government websites, with a real address, company email addresses, and bank accounts in Japan in the company’s own name. Check all of this before you send any money — once a transfer reaches a fraudster, it is usually gone.
Key takeaways
- Look the company up by its Corporate Number on the National Tax Agency Corporate Number site and on gBizINFO — both are free.
- Pay only to a bank account in Japan in the company’s name. Never pay a private person.
- A sudden change of bank details is a warning sign: confirm by phone using a number from the official website.
- Genuine local offices and agents do not collect cash or car payments.
1. Check the company is registered in Japan
Every company registered in Japan has a 13-digit Corporate Number. You can check it yourself in two minutes.
- National Tax Agency Corporate Number Publication Site: search by the 13-digit number. It shows the registered name and head-office address. Many companies have not registered an English name, so the English page may say “No registration in English” — switch to the Japanese page to see the details.
- gBizINFO (run by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in Japanese): shows company profiles linked to the same Corporate Number.
Compare the name and address you find with what the exporter’s website and invoice show. If the company cannot be found, or the details don’t match, stop.
Worked example: Autocom Japan Inc. (オートコムジャパン株式会社) has the Corporate Number 1020001052483. Search that number on the Japanese page of either site and you will see the name オートコムジャパン株式会社 and the head-office address in Hon-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama.
2. Confirm a real address and dealer licence
A genuine exporter has a street address in Japan that you can check independently — not just a phone number or a website.
Used-car dealers in Japan hold a secondhand goods dealer licence from the prefectural Public Safety Commission, and exporters usually publish the number on their company page. For example, Autocom’s head office is at Daidoseimei Yokohama Building 6F, 2-14 Hon-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, and its licence is Kanagawa Prefectural Public Safety Commission No. 451360009398, shown on its corporate site.
Once you are happy the company is real, you can start looking at cars — for example in Autocom’s stock list.
3. Check email addresses and websites
Real staff write from the company’s own email domain, not from free email accounts.
- Autocom staff emails always end in @autocj.co.jp. An “Autocom” email from any other address is not from us.
- Watch for lookalike domains with one extra letter, a hyphen or a different ending.
- Type the website address yourself instead of clicking links in messages.
Our page on official Autocom Japan channels and how to spot impersonators lists every genuine website, social account and phone number.
4. Pay only to a company account in Japan
This is the most important check. A Japanese exporter should receive payment into a bank account in Japan, held in the company’s own name.
- Never pay into an individual’s account, even if the person says they are a manager or agent. Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency warns that businesses normally use company accounts.
- Never pay through money-transfer services for a car purchase. Autocom does not use services such as Western Union.
- Check the beneficiary name on the invoice against the company name you verified in step 1.
Worked example: Autocom’s bank accounts are all in Japan and the beneficiary is always “Autocom Japan Inc”. The only valid accounts are the ones on the official bank account list. If you receive an invoice or request to pay an account whose beneficiary is not “Autocom Japan Inc.”, do not pay — it is fraud.
Autocom sells for full payment by bank transfer (T/T) to Japan; L/C and PayPal are available for select countries only.
5. Treat changed bank details as a red flag
If you are told “our bank account has changed”, stop and verify before paying.
Fraudsters hack or copy email threads and send a new invoice with their own account. Japan’s IPA (the government’s IT security agency) advises treating any sudden change of bank account or payment method as a warning sign and confirming it through a different channel.
- Call the exporter using a phone number from its official website — not the number in the suspicious message.
- Compare the new account with the exporter’s official bank list.
- Don’t let urgency (“pay today or lose the car”) push you into skipping the check.
6. Know that local offices don’t take cash
A genuine exporter’s local office helps you choose a car and handle documents — it does not collect your money.
Autocom’s local offices in Mombasa, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Harare do not accept cash or any payment, and staff may not make transfers on a client’s behalf. Anyone who asks you to hand over cash “for Autocom” is not acting for Autocom.
7. Check what the exporter tells you about the car
A reliable exporter shows you the evidence, not just nice photos.
- Auction sheet: ask for the full sheet. Our auction sheet guide explains grades and damage codes.
- Export certificate: the chassis number and first registration date should match the listing. See understanding the Japan export certificate.
- Inspection: many countries require a pre-shipment inspection in Japan. Check the rules for your country in the import rules section.
8. Ask for clear prices and documents
The invoice should say exactly what is included. Learn the difference between FOB, C&F and CIF in what is included in the price.
After shipment you should receive the key documents, such as the bill of lading, invoice and export certificate. Duties and taxes in your country are separate; use the landed cost checklist to see what to budget for.
What Japanese embassies advise
Embassies of Japan in several countries publish warnings about used-car purchase fraud. Their common advice:
- Check that the exporter really exists and is operating before you send money.
- Don’t pay until the seller is verified — money sent to a fraudster is usually not recoverable, and the Embassy cannot step into private disputes.
- Report fraud to your local police.
For a step-by-step checklist, read how to verify a Japanese car exporter before you pay, and see how to avoid scams when buying cars from Japan for common tricks.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a Japanese car exporter is real?
Search the 13-digit Corporate Number on the National Tax Agency Corporate Number site or gBizINFO, and check that the name and address match the website and invoice.
Is it safe to pay a sales agent’s personal account?
No. Pay only to a bank account in Japan in the company’s name. For Autocom, the beneficiary is always “Autocom Japan Inc”.
The seller emailed new bank details. What should I do?
Don’t pay. Call the company on a number from its official website and compare the account with the official bank list.
Can I pay cash at an Autocom office?
No. Autocom’s local offices and agents do not accept cash or any payment. All payments go by bank transfer to Autocom’s accounts in Japan.
Can I pay Autocom through a money-transfer service?
No. Autocom does not use services such as Western Union. Payment is by bank transfer to Autocom’s accounts in Japan.
Sources
- National Tax Agency: Corporate Number Publication Site (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: gBizINFO (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Consumer Affairs Agency: consumer warning on payments to individual accounts (4 Aug 2026)
- IPA: Business email compromise countermeasures (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of Japan in Kenya: Second-hand vehicles (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of Japan in Tanzania: Caution on used vehicles (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of Japan in Zambia: Car selling (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of Japan in Jamaica: used-car fraud warning (16 Dec 2025)
- Autocom Japan: Attention — payment and fraud notice (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
- Autocom Japan: Payment methods (accessed 1 Oct 2026)
