According to the latest announcement from the Consumer Affairs Agency, the regional trend analysis of consumer consultations using PIO-NET data published in July 2025 revealed consultation trends by age group for the April-June 2024 period. This analysis was conducted to understand the actual state of consumer troubles and strengthen countermeasures by analyzing consultation information received at consumer affairs centers nationwide by region and age group.
For consultations from those aged 19 and under, high billing from online game charges was the most common nationwide. Keywords such as "game," "smartphone," "charges," and "contract" ranked high, with many cases of children using parents' credit cards without permission for in-game purchases resulting in high bills. There were also many consultations about payment and cancellation methods through apps, with troubles related to subscription purchases through online shopping particularly prominent in the Kinki region.
For ages 20-39, contract troubles triggered by advertisements on SNS and video sites were widespread nationwide. Consultations centered on side job solicitations and cancellation/refund procedures for product purchases, with cases of being pressured to purchase expensive products through solicitations via messaging apps standing out. For ages 40-64, the most common consultations involved unknowingly entering subscription contracts and being unable to reach cancellation phone lines. For those 65 and older, many reports involved suspicious solicitation calls to landlines and entering subscription contracts through smartphone advertisements.
The Consumer Affairs Agency indicated its policy to strengthen alerts and awareness activities tailored to each generation based on the different consumer trouble trends by age group.