The organized frauds, orchestrated by criminal gangs, are widespread in Japan. Often it's about phone calls where the fraudster pretends to be a relative and tricks the person into withdrawing or transferring cash. Not infrequently, it's elderly people who are deceived.
From August this year, the authorities in Osaka, Japan's third-largest city, are prohibiting people over 65 years old from talking on the phone while using an ATM.
The law, the first of its kind in the country, means that the company providing the ATM must inform the customer about the phone ban, for example by putting up posters or distributing flyers.
If the new regulation is not complied with, however, no legal actions will be taken – neither against the company with the ATM nor against the customer over 65 years old.
Since elderly people are victims of fraudsters, and operators and banks are our allies in trying to prevent fraud, it's not suitable to punish them, says regional official Ryo Hamaoka.
