Financial Crime Prevention and Other Initiatives

As measures against fraudulent withdrawals, Mizuho has implemented the use of IC and biometric identification technologies in cash cards, and one–time passwords, EV SSL Certificates^*1, and Risk–based Authentication^*2 for Internet banking transactions, to provide customers with exceedingly safe services.

For remittance solicitation, as well, we are focusing on preventing customers from being victimized by verbally reminding them at the teller counters and ATMs to be wary, and through active PR campaigns using posters, flyers, videos, and other media to encourage customers to be on the lookout for remittance solicitation.

To prevent fraudulent withdrawals as a result of phishing, we actively provide warnings about, and information on, how to avoid falling victim to these scams. These warnings appear on websites, internet banking login screens, email newsletters, and other locations.

If a customer does fall victim to fraudulent withdrawals or remittance solicitation, personnel from a special unit will personally speak with the customer to determine what happened and then take appropriate measures provided by law, to help arrange for damage compensation or a damage recovery distribution and other steps.

• *1An "EV SSL Certificate" makes it easier for customers to tell who operate a website. When the address bar turns green, it is indicating that the website has instituted EV SSL certificate–based security and, therefore, can be trusted. In addition, the name of the website operator and certifying organization are also displayed, therefore, it is clearly indicated to the user that the website he or she is viewing can be trusted.
• *2"Risk–based Authentication" is a structure in which the customer's computing environment (Information on personal computer settings, IP address of the Internet provider, etc.) is comprehensively analyzed and it's risk is calculated, with real–time monitoring of usage conditions to detect possible unauthorized use. If unauthorized use is suspected, additional authentication using a preset password is implemented to reconfirm that the user is who he or she purports to be.

As measures to prevent money laundering, we have implemented strict personal identification measures in accordance with the law and, since December 2008, have been employing an advanced Anti–Money Laundering (AML) Monitoring System that is also being used by European and U.S. major banks in an effort to uncover suspicious accounts as early as possible.

Through these initiatives, Mizuho continues to proactively work to prevent financial crime, so we can provide customers with secure financial services they can use with confidence.