Thousands of Japanese police officers have been guarding ATMs around the country today in a bid to stop elderly people falling victim to fraudsters, according to press reports.
With pension payments set to be made into accounts today, around 56,000 police have been deployed to guard about 80% of the country's 98,000 cash machines.
Police say conmen have tricked people - mainly pensioners - into transferring more than $211 million to their accounts via ATMs so far this year and there have been 346 related arrests.
The fraudsters pretend they are related to, or know, the victims and claim to have been caught up in traffic accidents or minor crimes. Victims are then tricked into transferring money at the ATM.
Japan Launches Sweeping Anti-Scam Campaign At ATMs - AFP