TOKYO, Feb. 7 -- Financial Services Agency issued the following press release:

Today, so-called "Cold Calling," a fraudulent practice aimed at soliciting investors, is conducted all over the world. "Cold-calling" is a practice where by an entity disguises itself as a brokerage firm or an asset management firm and approaches potential investors via non face-to-face channels, such as by phone, fax, and emails, in order to solicit investment in securities or financial products. Typically, a "cold caller" makes unsolicited calls to potential investors, cajoles them into deciding to purchase certain securities, and then, becomes unavailable for contact after the investor sends the money for that purchase. As a result, the investors cannot obtai...