Translation guide
Expressions for describing dishonest or illegal business activities in Japanese, ranging from formal legal terms to everyday warnings.
To refer broadly to dishonest or deceptive business activities.
A formal, general term for fraudulent or improper business practices. Suitable for legal, business, or news contexts.
To describe specific schemes where businesses cheat customers out of money.
The general word for fraud or scam. Can be used for business fraud, but often needs context to specify the business aspect.
To name particular common fraudulent business practices.
Pyramid scheme. A well-known term in Japan for illegal multi-level marketing structures.
Directly translating 'fraudulent business practices' word-for-word as 詐欺的なビジネス慣行 is understandable but unnatural. Use the set phrases provided instead.
fraudulent business practices (literal, unnatural)
That company was indicted for fraudulent business practices.
Literally 'fraudulent business customs'. Used in legal and economic discussions, often referring to systemic or industry-wide practices.
Fraudulent business practices are threatening consumers.
Refers to malicious or unscrupulous business methods, often used in consumer protection contexts. Implies intentional harm.
Please be careful not to fall for fraudulent business practices.
あの会社は詐欺で訴えられた。
That company was sued for fraud.
A colloquial term for swindle or trickery. Often used in compound words like ペテン師 (swindler).
He fell for a swindle and lost a lot of money.
Verb meaning 'to deceive' or 'to trick'. Used in phrases like 客を騙す (to cheat customers).
That store cheats customers by selling shoddy goods.
Pyramid schemes are prohibited by law.
Investment fraud. Covers scams where victims are tricked into fake investments.
He lost his entire fortune in an investment fraud.
Bank transfer fraud, often targeting elderly people by phone. A very common term in Japan.
The number of bank transfer fraud cases is increasing.
Cartel. Refers to illegal price-fixing or market-rigging by businesses. A loanword from German.
A cartel had been formed in that industry.
Bid rigging. Common in construction and public works scandals in Japan.
The bid rigging was uncovered and the company was penalized.