Japanese police are stepping up their efforts against social media posts that recruit people for shady part-time jobs, by replying to the posts with warning messages.
Japan has recently seen a series of robberies and other crimes where the perpetrators appear to have been recruited through such ads.
The National Police Agency’s Second Organized Crime Division has been keeping watch online for similar posts.
On Friday, police found a number of suspicious messages that included expressions like “part-time job with payment on the same day” and “simple, easy and high pay.”
The NPA and 30 prefectural police departments have been putting warning messages in the threads of the posts. The warnings say: “This post is assumed to recruit people to engage in crimes. Those involved may be arrested and face criminal punishment, such as imprisonment” or “You are unlikely to receive any reward and will be used as a disposable worker.”
The police said these messages are designed to advise people interested in shady part-time jobs not to get involved. They are also intended to warn criminal groups that police are aware of their posts.
The police said they replied to more than 34,000 suspicious posts last year.
But criminal groups often change the expressions and accounts they use, forcing police to adapt their tactics.
NPA officer Aota Tomoko says ads that do not specify job details and lead applicants to an encrypted app are likely recruiting for shady part-time jobs.
She warns that anyone who accepts the work will end up being used until they get arrested.