In Japan, the high level of fraud affecting the oldest people pushes the administration to consider particularly radical solutions.
Phone scams can affect anyone, especially since the emergence of AI and its amazing ability to imitate people you know. But even if no one is safe, some are more fragile than others, like the elderly. This prompted the Japanese authorities to think about new measures.
Too many scams in the air
Credit card scams targeting elderly people in Japan are a worrying phenomenon. According to the Japanese national police agency, in the first half of 2023 alone, 15 billion yen (nearly 100 million euros) were thus extracted from victims through bank card thefts.
The crooks play on the fragility of these populations to extort money from them over the phone. Whether pretending to be a bank clerk or a loved one in dire need of cash to avoid serious trouble, criminals are all too easily able to trick seniors into pulling out their cards by sitting quietly at the door. other end of the line. The authorities therefore have no choice but to think about solutions.
A withdrawal, but on one condition
The police administration has thus issued a proposal which could surprise us: abolish the bank card for citizens over 65 years of age. This drastic measure is nevertheless accompanied by a condition. Indeed, the government wishes to make this provision only for the elderly who have not used their bank card for a year or more.
Contrary to what one might have thought, the communication of this idea did not raise a huge controversy. Opinions would be rather divided on the Japanese side, if we are to believe the South China Morning Star. Opposition to the measure would also be more practical than moral. The question in particular of access to their money for the Japanese living in areas where there are few ATMs was raised.
Source : GEO
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