What is the "Fake Kobe Beef Restaurant Reservation Site" scam in Kobe?

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As Kobe beef is the city's primary culinary attraction, several fraudulent websites mimic legitimate reservation portals for renowned Kobe beef teppanyaki restaurants. These sites charge a non-refundable deposit of 3,000–10,000 yen per person to "secure" a table, but the booking is not registered with the actual restaurant. Diners arrive to find no reservation exists. Book Kobe beef restaurants directly via their official websites or through Tabelog (food reservation platform) and OpenTable Japan, which do not require pre-paid deposits for standard bookings. Call the restaurant directly to confirm any reservation made through a third party.

Online Scams in Kobe

Fake Kobe Beef Restaurant Reservation Site

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