Osaka Prefecture Considers Ordinance Banning Elderly from Using Phones at ATMs - Aiming to Prevent Special Fraud

Osaka Governor Yoshimura announced on the 27th that they are considering enacting an ordinance prohibiting the use of mobile phones by elderly people at ATMs. If this ordinance is established, it will bethe first in all of Japan.

Source: GPT4o

Governor Yoshimura stated, "We are considering revising the ordinance to strengthen countermeasures against special fraud," revealing specific plans to prohibit the use of mobile phones by the elderly at ATMs.

In Osaka Prefecture, the number of special fraud cases reached a record high of 2,656 last year, with total damages amounting to approximately 3.7 billion yen (approximately 32 billion won, US$23 million). This translates to approximately 10 million yen (approximately 86 million won, US$62,000) in damages every day.

In considering the ordinance revision, the target age group is limited to those aged 65 and older, as perpetrators often instruct the elderly via mobile phone. This is the first time in Japan that a complete "prohibition" of mobile phone use has been considered. Governor Yoshimura emphasized, "I believe this is a very malicious crime. It's about swindling the hard-earned retirement funds of our grandparents, so we must do everything we can to stop it."

However, if the ordinance is revised, it will require facilities to verify mobile phone usage at unmanned ATMs. Governor Yoshimura is requesting financial institutions to bear the costs. While expressing a desire to submit a revised bill to the Diet in February next year, bank officials expressed concerns, stating, "It seems like we'll be quite busy." and "This isn't an issue for individual banks; it's something that all banks within Osaka Prefecture will have to address together."

Furthermore, he expressed his intention to make it mandatory to verify the purchase purpose when prepaid cards are sold at convenience stores and other establishments.

This ordinance review is interpreted as a strong countermeasure against special fraud crimes, which have become a serious issue in Japanese society. Given the persistent targeting of the elderly, the effectiveness of this ordinance will be closely watched.