One of the most problematic side-effects of Japan’s steadily aging population has been the proliferation of “special fraud” (tokushu sagi). This is a general term for scams that rely on cold calls to reach a large number of people but in recent years are increasingly targeting seniors.
The exact method can vary, such as pretending to be a family member in trouble, but it often involves getting the victim to make a bank transfer. And thanks to mobile phones, criminals can guide their victims through the process right at an ATM without ever having to appear in person.
This has made it harder for police in Japan to track down these thieves, let alone try to stop the crime from happening in the first place. These desperate times have called for potentially desperate measures such as a proposal to restrict seniors’ access to their bank accounts.
Now Japan’s National Police Agency announced a plan that’s less intrusive and more technologically sophisticated. An AI will analyze security camera footage of people using ATMs and if they are seen using a mobile phone at the same time, a video warning will be displayed on the teller machine.
The video features Keita Tachibana, former member of the boy band W-inds and current member of the National Police Agency’s SOS47 group of celebrities who raise awareness of special fraud. If its intended purpose is to be alarming, it does its job very well with Tachibana pointing a very enlarged finger at the viewer and telling them: “WARNING! That phone call is fraud! Hang up right now!”
I – Word Understanding
Steadily – a gradual, regular way over a period of time.
Proliferation – the growth or production of cells by multiplication of parts.
Intrusive – affecting someone in a way that annoys them and makes them feel uncomfortable.
989 Japan’s new ATMs automatically play anti-fraud videos to people talking on mobile phones
