Dear Valuable Customers
SBT is aware of increased incidences of hoax websites and fraudulent individuals falsely using SBT's name or claiming to be associated with SBT. These scams - often using variations or misspellings of SBT - imitate legitimate car exporters to mislead customers with fake car photos copied from websites of auction houses and established exporters. Customers are warned that SBT has no associated websites or companies. SBT deals through only www.sbtjapan.com and its authorized sales representatives. Other websites and parties claiming association are unauthorized and fraudulent.
Due to recent proliferation of such scams, SBT is spreading awareness about the variety of ways fraudulent parties attempt to defraud. Generally, consumers should act with vigilance and a sensible amount of skepticism when dealing by internet, phone, or SMS. Follow these guidelines to help ensure you are dealing with a genuine SBT authorized representative:
- Email Correspondence - Email communications from SBT will always carry the "sbtjapan.com" domain address and any call back requests should be done through our authorized customer service desk (CSD) number(+81-45-290-9485). Please be sure to double-check the email or website address when replying to emails or completing online forms. If you have been contacted and are suspicious, please contact CSD to confirm authenticity.
- Money Transfer - SBT representatives might contact you by email, phone, or other means about payment. However, SBT will never ask you to send cash or money orders or ask for your credit card or banking details. SBT accepts payment by only wire transfer. Customers should send money to only SBT's beneficiary account in Japan. Your proforma invoice will state to which of the following accounts to pay. Be sure to double-check that your invoice matches one of the following:
|
Bank Name |
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. |
|
Beneficiary |
SBT CO., LTD. |
|
Branch |
Yokohama Ekimae Branch |
|
Swift Code |
BOTKJPJT |
|
Account Number |
251-0008956xxxxxxx (7 alphabetic characters as per invoice) |
- What to do if you have received a scam - If you’re directed to a hoax website impersonating or claiming association with SBT, please report it to csd@sbtjapan.com. Always contact CSD to verify authenticity if in doubt.
We hope that together with you, we can make it much harder for criminals to commit fraud. Always use your best judgment, and remember - in most cases, if you think it's a scam, it probably is.
Original Invoice:
Fake Invoice:
