elisha kim's Diary

Dominion Group International: Food Standards Agency Issued a Warning on Seaweed

The British Food Standards Agency released a warning about a particular kind of seaweed. The consumers were warned not to eat the seaweed called Hijiki.

Hijiki is a seaweed that has been found to contain abnormally high levels of inorganic arsenic. This is a chemical element that is harmful to the body. The substance is known to greatly increase the risk of cancer cells. This kind of seaweed is a very dark, with a shredded appearance. In Japan, it is traditionally eaten as an appetizer. However, it is not a common ingredient used in sushi. A lot of Chinese restaurants also don’t use it as an ingredient for their cuisine.

Popularity of hijiki

The popularity of the specific seaweed originated from a folklore in Japan. It is said that the consumption of hijiki benefits the health and beauty. The traditional myths also say that the seaweed can help in thick hair growth and make it look shinier.

The hijiki can be used in, salads, soups and other vegetarian and vegan dishes. This ingredient can be found in the specialty section of many supermarkets. It can also be found in Asian specialty stores and health food stores.

Hijiki’s negative effects

The Food Standards Agency carried out a study to find the negative effects of this food ingredient. According to the examination they conducted, the hijiki contains an inorganic arsenic in a form that naturally occurs in some foods. They also conducted a survey to test and review the contents of arame, kombu, nori, and wakame which are other types of seaweed. However, there’s no inorganic arsenic found in the mentioned types of seaweed.

As said by the Food Standards Agency, consuming a small amount or eating hijiki occasionally will unlikely raise the considerable risk of getting cancer. However, they advised the consumers to stop purchasing and eating it to prevent the possibilities of getting sick. The also advised the people to choose from the other four types of seaweed rather than of including hijiki in their meals.

Currently, the Britain and the European Union have not yet placed a ban in selling hijiki. The British agency has contacted the EU about taking the necessary actions to prohibit the sale of the particular seaweed.

Britain’s independent scientific board called the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has concluded that people should consume as little inorganic arsenic as possible. In that way, they could avoid the harmful effects of the substance and lower the risks of getting ill. The organic form of arsenic is far less harmful compared to the inorganic ones found in hijiki. The organic arsenic can be found in many food products including cereals, baked goods, fruit, meat, poultry, and vegetables.

Dominion Group International: Review on Japan’s Supplement Products

Some dietary supplement products from Japan has been tested by ConsumerLab. Among the nine brands of alpha lipoic acid supplements, one contained none of the ingredients while another contained only 81%.

ConsumerLab, a provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products, found most of them to meet the claims as they contain the alpha lipoic acid. The private company that tested the supplements is a based in New York. The supplement brands were manufactured and purchased from Japan. Based on their examination, there is one brand that contains none of the ingredients but has been printed on the ingredients list.

What is alpha lipoic acid?

In Japan, the alpha lipoic acid was approved as a food ingredient. It was promoted for its ability to help in weight loss and provide anti-ageing effects. Its popularity surged when a popular Japanese television program endorsed the food ingredient.

The effects of the ingredient have not been well demonstrated. A lot of people bought the products claiming that it contains the alpha lipoic acid. There were studies that it helps in lowering blood sugar. It is also used as a way to treat neuropathies in people with diabetes.

The Japanese consumers were compelled to try the dietary supplements. However, they tend to purchase the products before doing their own research. Due to its popularity, the consumers are at risk of getting ripped-off. There are many fraud products available in the market that are harmful to use. The food and drug administration gives a warning to people about buying dietary supplements from unregistered or unrecognised sellers.

People who intend to take a supplement should check the quality of a specific product. Before trying out dietary supplements or other types of non-prescribed drug, they should understand the side effects and drug interactions.

Tested products

There are different variations of dietary supplements made in Japan which contains CoQ10, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Multivitamins, and Probiotics. All the nine branded products were selected by ConsumerLab and tested it for their levels of alpha lipoic acid. It was also tested for potential contamination with heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic lead, and mercury. The testing that was made was based on the methods recommended in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.

Among the various products that went under testing, the approved ones cost about 47.50 yen to as much as 311 yen, depending on the suggested retail price of 100 mg serving. The highest priced supplement has failed the testing which has a price of 370 yen for 100 mg of CoQ10. According to the examination, it only delivers 81 mg of the said ingredient.

Under the ConsumerLab’s test and review, they have found that the amounts of alpha lipoic acid in two products did not state how much it contained the ingredient.

Dominion Group International: How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off in Tokyo Restaurants

Japan is one of the countries with a low crime rate. Although a lot of Japanese that are kind-hearted and honest, there’s still some who have bad motives when it comes to business.

Get to experience the modern technology fused with Japan’s history and culture in Tokyo. It is the capital of Japan wherein you can find a lot of establishments from day and night. It is a must-see place when you’re visiting the country. A lot of shops and restaurants can be found in the area. However, people still need to have an attentive eye because fraudsters may be lurking for their next target.

Japan is proud to have a delectable cuisine. You can try out different restaurants in Tokyo but keep an eye out because you may fall for a Tokyo restaurant scam.

Ways to avoid restaurant scam

Most locals and a lot of tourists prefer to dine at a restaurant than cook their own meals. It is convenient compared to cooking your own food at home. Nowadays, restaurants are also used as a part of a fraud activity.

You can opt for an affordable eating place or go to a luxurious restaurant to have your meal. Even if there are a lot of selections, it is suggested to wary of the restaurants you choose when it comes to your food. You may probably fall for a restaurant scam if you notice these signs:

If a wait staff usher you quickly in the restaurant without even saying yes.
If you end up not feeling right about the menu or wait staff, don’t be afraid to get up and leave if you’ve been brought into a restaurant.
The pictures on the menu don’t match what you ordered. Most of the time, the picture shows what they will serve. There you’ll see how many pieces or how big is the serving size of the food you ordered.
The taste of the foods you order is tasteless. The restaurant may have used low-quality ingredients or haven’t properly prepared your food.
Check if the staff treats the Japanese customers and foreigners differently.
Review the prices on the menu and the items on your bill to know if they give you the right bill. There’s a chance that they add items you didn’t even order. Get a hold of the menu to calculate how much you spent. If there are discrepancies in the total bill, try to contest the cost.
To take note of the prices, you can ask about taxes and extra fees. If it doesn’t match the bill and you noticed triple or quadruple the cost, you probably you got scammed.
Always ask for an official receipt. If they don’t hand you one, there’s a big risk that they overpriced your bill.


The law of Japan states that the menu prices should include taxes and other charges. This Japanese law is created to avoid fraud and false pricing. It is also a way against misrepresentation. If you have an odd feeling about the place, the best thing to do is to avoid or leave the restaurant before you order anything.

Dominion Group International: Restaurants in Japan Tied to Scam

In 2013, some restaurants in Japan have been linked to food scam. Their menu has deceived the diners and lied about their profit.

Hankyu Hanshin Hotels Co. disclosed that dozens of its restaurants misrepresented the food on their menus. The “revelations” that emerged affected several other establishments around the nation that did the same thing.

The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Osaka, another famous hotel, along with the Renaissance Sapporo Hotel in Hokkaido also admitted in using some ingredients and products that are cheaper and low quality. They did not use the premium items to cook the meals advertised on their menus. Another prestigious accommodation, the Imperial Hotel Ltd., admitted they had served frozen juice that was labelled as “fresh” at the restaurants in their Tokyo and Osaka branches.

According to the Renaissance Sapporo General Manager Hiroshi Harata, they call the big prawns as Japanese tiger and the small ones as ‘shiba’ shrimp. In reality, the hotel was using cheap shrimp at its Chinese restaurant. It is far different from the shrimp they had listed on their menu.

The Imperial Hotel admitted that they had served orange and grapefruit juices from May 2006 until May 2007. They disclosed that the freshly squeezed juice was procured in frozen form from a Tokyo supplier. Due to controversy, the hotel now serves their “fresh” juices using freshly squeezed fruits.

The high-end restaurants in luxury hotels often promote their sophisticated services, along with the quality of their food products. However, their air of exclusivity may not match the costs in the kitchen. The government has imposed the regulations on food labelling. The directive also includes the posting the origin of the products for the items sold in their shops. However, the regulations of the government do not apply to restaurant menus.

The food fraud cases in Japan fall under the scope of a general law. The Consumers Affairs Agency studies about the cases. It is linked to the competition policy law that prevents all types of businesses from mislabelling their products. The credibility of the restaurant menus can only be left in the hands of those who run the food business.

The menu serves as one of the promotional materials of the restaurants. It entices the diners because it depicts the ingredients they use to cook their meals. However, this is false advertising which has also surfaced at other restaurants in Japan. The Shikoku Railway Co. subsidiary in Tokushima and Ehime prefectures, as well as the hotels in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, admitted that they have also fooled the people using their menu.

Food labelling can easily be confused with upscale products that are regulated by the Agricultural Standards Law. The sad thing is, a lot of restaurants think they are above the law. They are also above the new food labelling law that includes the Agricultural Standards Law. According to the government, they restaurants are unregulated which empowers them to trick the customers with their menu scam.

Dominion Group International: Spotting Scam Cruise Deal

If you received travel awards or won a free cruise, it seems like a great news. However, before you collect on your prize, better to check the legitimacy of the deal. In 2011, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) retrieved over 1,300 complaints regarding cruise line deals and free-cruise scams.

There were companies that engage in free-cruise schemes that require the customers to comply with extra charges and deposits. But what’s worse is the people who paid the fees did not receive the services promised.

Fraud offers

Not every cruise deal is a scam but you have to make sure that the prize is legitimate. A cruise serves as a means of transportation and a destination resort, as well. Don’t fall victim to certain cruise scams so you won’t suffer some of the problems. You can look for signs to determine whether the free cruise is the real deal or it’s a fraud offer.

Cybercriminals get their profit by targeting travellers and offering them a fraud travel offer. It can be enticing to some because who can resist free or discounted deals? However, instead of saving money, the fraudsters stole the money and never send out the promised deal.

‘Free cruise’ scam dominates the reports of fraudulent offers online. It is a potentially dangerous scam that can compromise the customer’s identity, as well as other personal details. The scam involves asking their targets to open a link and fill out the required information for the upcoming cruise. This can endanger the victims’ identity and the computer or mobile devices they’re using, especially if the e-mail or the link contains malware.

Avoiding scam

Winning a travel prize requires a lot of luck. Even though not all travel offers are considered a scam, it’s still important to be vigilant about the situation so you can avoid getting involved in any fraudulent travel offer.

Before you comply, you need to research the name of the travel agency that gives you the cruise deal. You also have to look for the name of the agent and other company titles listed on the cruise offer. Consult trust rating websites like BBB and check the consumer’s evaluation to see if the offer has received a bad review. Using these resources, you may also find some names on the offer which might be associated with a scam.

Study the details of the offer and check if there are accommodations and services included. Check the fees and charges too. There might be some demand specifics for you to redeem the prize. If it involves paying a suspicious amount, it’s probably a fraud offer.

Getting on a cruise can give a wonderful experience but a scam can morph the dream to disaster. The motive of cybercriminals behind this type of scam waste the people’s time and money.

Dominion Group International: Filing a Complaint in Japan

Both local and foreigners are the usual targets of fraud. This happens not only in Asian countries like Japan but also in other parts of the world.

Even though Japan has a low crime rate, there are still instances where locals and some of the expatriates that work in the country experienced being involved in a scam. Swindlers operate in many ways, may it be selling phony products, offer fake services, and other acts of fraud. If ever you become a victim of swindlers, it is recommended to go to the nearest koban (police box).

Filing a complaint or any reports of crime can be initially done in a police station. Victims of any crime must tell the officers what happened. The authorities will investigate the complaint and apprehend those who are found guilty of the crime.

Example of fraud

There are some offense cases in Japan that involve minors. Some expatriates working in the country becomes the usual target of criminals because they only know a few people and aren’t familiar with the places around.

An individual has filed a complaint about a minor. The offender hung out and befriended the victim, then ended up at his house. The victim allowed the offender inside his house. However, instead of reciprocating the good deed, the offender stole his jeans and 30,000 yen out of his wallet before taking off. He said he just needs to meet a friend and was supposed to come back. Hours passed and the delinquent never came back.

The authorities arrested the delinquent and the case was under investigation. The defendant hired a lawyer and contacted the victim. The lawyer told him that the minor would like to apologize. Due to the crime committed, the delinquent has been detained in the jail. This kind of offense can lead to a demand of up to 300,000 yen.

Filing a complaint

For people who have the similar experience or become a victim of any type of crime, the first thing you can do is file a complaint with the police department. For foreigners, it is better to bring a Japanese person with you. it is necessary, especially for those who are not fluent in the language. A Japanese-speaking individual can fill out the forms required. The police will take it from there and put the case under investigation.

For business-related concerns, there are companies that provide a way for people to send their complaint. The Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative (IFFCO)-Tokio has a customer service to handle the client’s complaint. It will be escalated to the IRDA using an online facility called Integrated Grievance Management System. It helps the policyholders register their complaint and track their status.

The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau also has a helpline for fraud concerns and immigration-related documents. They also provide information services via voice in Japanese, Chinese, English, and Korean, as well as fax available in Japanese and English. Their voice/fax information services are available 24 hours a day, even after office hours, weekends, and national holidays.

Preventing Email Scams That Act as Recruitment Opportunity

Email marketing is one of the popular technique for promotions and marketing. Every day, millions of email messages are sent by different people around the world. These messages can be about products, services, or brand. However, 90.4 percent of all email sent is categorized as spam, according to the security vendor Symantec.

1 out of every 1.1 email messages are classified as junk. Spam has unsolicited messages typically sent through email. The word is coined by Monty Python after the luncheon meat brand Spam. This type of messages is flagged by web mail services because of its unsafe content.

The way it is written can be commercial in nature. It may contain disguised links which appear to be for similar to popular websites. However, it is unsafe because the links may lead to phishing web sites or sites that host malware. A lot of email spam messages also include malware as scripts, as well as other executable file attachments known as Trojans.

This type of messages can be reported by email users. A spam complaint occurs when the recipient clicks on the ‘report spam’ button in the program.

The authorities and other IT analysts gave a warning to email users about spam messages. Some fraud activities are using this method to fool people. Various scam incidents such as phishing, illegal transaction, and illegitimate recruitment opportunities have been reported.

Email job fraud

Even if spam usually categorized in junk email, there are many people being victimized by this trick. Email benefits both employers and workers. For aspirant job seekers, it is a significant way to send an application to recruiters and human resource organizations. It is also an easier and quicker way to send a message and still maintain a formal tone of communication.

However, there are fraudsters lurking around the web and use email to their advantage. They send fraud emails to people that act as a bait. Once the people click the link or content of the message, they may be led to phishing websites or malware.

Email has changed the game for online criminals and hackers. They are using email services like Yahoo and Gmail to connect with thousands of people at once. There are also instances that they can retain the anonymity of the message.

People behind this crime this type of scam use a familiar company name or create their own. They compose a message that appeals to their targets. They attach spam links on emails redirects to that redirects the victims to bogus websites. People should be vigilant with email scam because it could trick them into divulging personal and sensitive information. The information that criminals get can be used for other fraudulent activities or other purposes.

Being alert

You may receive an email from recruiters that invite you to apply for a job opportunity. It can be an attractive proposition but make sure to read the content thoroughly. It is better to review the whole content of the message and check the legitimacy of the job offer. Do this before complying with the requirements or give out any personal information.

Recruitment Scam Violates Potential Military Men and Teachers

Recruitment is one of the crucial processes when it comes to hiring workforce in a company, agency, or any other department. Good recruitment services are formed to choose the right people to employ. Individuals who are a part of hiring hubs have the capability to select applicants with the potential to fulfil the job responsibilities.

But what would happen if the problem stems from the critical process of recruitment? Potential employees and workforce have wasted their time, effort, and even resources to complete the process. There were innocent people applying for a job who filed a complaint against the individuals who gave them false hopes.

Recruitment failure

In India, there was an incendiary case called as the ‘teachers’ recruitment scam’. It is popularly known in the country as “Vyapam scam”. The term “Vyapam” is a Hindi acronym that came from Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal which is translated as the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB).

It was a controversial case because it was an admission and recruitment scam that involves politicians, senior officials, as well as businessmen in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It was a self-financed autonomous organisation run by the State government. The group was responsible for conducting several nationwide entrance tests.

The Vyapam conducted 13 different exams for the selection of medical students and state government employees. This also includes other employments such as school teachers, police personnel, food inspectors transport constables, forest guards, and dairy supply officers. Around 3.2 million students have taken the examination.

Another recruitment scam happened in Pretoria, South Africa. At least 200 people who applied for a military job were deceived. They were convinced that they are in a part of a military recruitment workshop in Tshwane.

The people who applied for the so-called recruitment workshop stayed in the location for more than a year. According to their reports, the man who recruited them said he will be providing workshops that increase their chance to be recruited to the military. The conman asked for a fee of R200 to R300 for his services.

The case is handled by the Gauteng Department of Social Development. According to the investigation, the conman was running a fraud operation from his house. He was also operating his workshop in the Wonder Park area.

Job scam

Not only school teachers but also many people from different academic fields were victimized by the Vyapam scam. On the other hand, the fraud military workshop held in South Africa have affected 200 potential workers. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have no middle people to recruit potential military workforce.

The authorities gave a warning to all job seekers to become vigilant in looking for jobs. Criminals take advantage of the lack of employment opportunities and unemployment rate. They can pretend as a recruiter or recruitment agency to deceive people to join their illegal operation.

Investment Scam Involving a Businessman Hits with Forgery Charges

Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and other Asian neighbor nations are getting featured in the news due to money laundering issues. In recent reports, a businessman from Malaysia is facing money laundering and cheating charges.

The victims have filed a complaint against the businessman named N. Narendran. The authorities have found the connection of the 37-year old businessman to a fraud investment scheme. According to the authorities, the investment scam has a worth of RM 6.3 million.

Different charges against the businessman

Aside from the fraudulent investment scheme charge, Narendran is also sentenced with an additional 10 counts of charges due to the use of forged documents. The charges were brought against the businessman which was read at the Sessions Court.

There were nine counts of charges against Narendran. According to the investigation, he tried to pass off the forged documents from the Perak government. All reports remained as allegations until he was proven guilty on the nine occasions that happened between April 29 and Sept 7 in 2015.

He was also accused of doing the same deed with a forged hospital document. The document was supposedly from the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital which was dated on 31st of October 2015. Other offenses were reported against Narendran wherein it took place at Ganang Resources office located in the Greentown Business Center.

Status of the case

In November, Narendran has been on trial for 105 charges of cheating. The complainant, Hafizul Abdul Hamid, filed a case because he claimed to be deceived by Narendran. According to Hamid’s statement, the businessman persuaded him that they had a deal. He was convinced that they agreed upon in providing disposable medical equipment to the hospital.

In the same year, he and his 50-year old friend have been penalized. Narendran, together with S. Robert, was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act. He also faces four counts of money laundering cases that amount to RM728,000. His friend Robert was slapped with six charges that are worth RM746,400. Based on the statements of complainants, the violations happened between 25th of June and 4th of July 2015.

Charges piled up against Narendran but he pleaded not guilty to all the charges filed against him under Section 471 of the Penal Code. Judge Norashima Khalid handles the case of the 37-year old businessman. He set the bail at RM10,000 along with a pending surety.

Preventing investment scam

Investment scam happens not only in Malaysia but also to other countries such as Japan. They continue to face the substantial risk and challenges regarding money laundering. This type of fraudulent activity is an organized crime that leads the innocent people to financial problems.

Fraud Sellers Get Big Profit Due to the Rise of Amazon Scam

Convenience is one of the benefits offered by e-commerce websites like Amazon. It is one of the popular e-commerce websites that most consumers use for shopping. People don’t need to step out of their house to do their shopping needs. Purchasing the products can be done anytime and anywhere. The orders are delivered to the customer’s doorstep.

It is easy to shop using mobile devices or desktops. Buying from a wide range of products can be done in just a few clicks or swipes on your mobile phone. However, there are shoppers who filed a complaint about getting scammed by sellers on the website. The sellers tricked their customers into fraudulent transactions. Instead of convenience, online shoppers suffered from financial problems.

Scammers targeting online shoppers

Shoppers can find tons of stuff on Amazon. A lot of people use this e-commerce website to do their shopping needs conveniently. However, there is also a risk in using Amazon, as well as other e-commerce websites. Shoppers have lost their money because they purchased products from fraud sellers lurking in Amazon.

This should serve as a warning to consumers who love shopping online. Be cautious in purchasing products from unverified sellers because they might take advantage of Amazon’s popularity. Criminals get big profit from tricking online shoppers. As a part of their scam, they post counterfeit products on e-commerce websites. It’s difficult to get the money back from fraud sellers because they give false company name and contact details.

The culprits were able to gain money and got away it. The scam infuriated a lot of customers because they were left empty-handed. Some of them posted negative feedback on the website.

How to avoid fraud sellers?

Christmas season is just around the corner. A lot of people will try to shorten their long list of stuff to buy for the holidays. Many consumers start to shop for presents before the yuletide season finally comes.

Amazon aims to provide good service to their customers but the increasing rate of fraud merchants give the company a bad name. Customers are waiting for nothing. They did not receive the items they ordered because the fraud sellers never ship it.

Some loyal customers of Amazon never expected to get involved in any scam. There are customers who never had any problems with the service before. Amazon has a global standard for e-commerce but is sad to think that some sellers have bad motives when it comes to business. It breaks the trust of many online shoppers.

Before buying any stuff from an Amazon seller, it is recommended for customers to review the trust rating. Try to scrutinize the details and check if there’s a lot of negative feedback posted on the page. It could be a positive sign that the seller is a scam artist.

The Dominion Group International Warning! 3,000 Investors Lost on Fraud Investments

A growing number of victims of different fraud investment have come forward to file their complaint. Many people are being victimized by individuals who offer an enticing opportunity to earn money. According to reports, the victims were offered investment prospects that could give them good earnings.

In 2016, the Japanese newspaper Japan Times has featured the investigation on two alleged individuals that created a fraud-related investment scheme. The local prosecutor from Nagoya asked for a court order to freeze the assets of two suspects regarding the investment scheme. The victims reported that the preparatory offering fraud investment scheme.

There are two individuals being investigated due to the Japanese forex scheme they offer to people who would like to invest. One of the suspects, named Masaaki Ito, is a 48-year-old manager working for a company that organizes trading seminars. He has also been accused seven times because of embezzlement. 160 clients of his clients have filed a complaint which gave him a track record. The clients have suffered damages amounting to 1.9 billion yen (17 million US dollars).

The officials have been investigating the perpetrators based on the complaint of the victims. According to reports, the two suspects have defrauded the investors with 11.7 billion yen (104.9 million US dollars).

About the case

According to the police investigations, 3,000 retail investors have been scammed with more than 100 million dollars. The complainants said they were given an assurance that the invested funds they paid for will be used in real trading. They were persuaded to invest their money because of the promised that they will get a guaranteed monthly returns of the invested capital which is 3 per cent.

Masaki Ito and his partner who has not been named yet never used the money as promised. They have not engaged in any transactions with the funds they accumulated from a lot of their investors. The Japanese authorities managed to secure 270 million yen. An amount of 6 billion yen was used to refund the contract cancellations to give the investors their money back. The prosecutors are still investigating other matters regarding the case to determine what happened to the remaining 5.56 billion yen.

Tracing the fraud investments

The prosecutor’s office puts on their high hopes to track the remaining funds missing. It could still be in the possession of the suspect but the investigators must issue a warrant that would allow them to freeze the assets.

An inquiry was scheduled for May 2016. The prosecutors must prove to the court if the assets of the suspects came from fraudulent transactions. The money being retrieved from the assets will be distributed to the 3,000 victims of the investment scheme.

The investigators have located some of the remaining funds by tracing the bank deposits made in Japan and abroad. The amount of recoverable money cannot be confirmed yet since the investigation is currently running.