Reports of suspected theft of personal customs identification numbers have increased 46 times over the past three years, highlighting the growing security problem. The number of reports, which was 1,502 in 2022, surged to 71,440 in 2025, leading to a significant increase in reissuance requests. Stolen personal customs identification numbers are feared to be misused in the customs clearance process for overseas direct purchases, potentially facilitating tax evasion or the importation of illegal goods. Consumers face difficulties in determining theft beforehand and identifying the source of information leaks.
