A 93-year-old woman in the Shiga region of western Japan assisted local police in the arrest of a 47-year-old man who allegedly attempted to scam her. The woman cooperated with authorities to coordinate a staged encounter at her home after receiving suspicious telephone calls last week.
The incident began on a Wednesday when the woman received calls from an individual claiming to be a police officer. The caller stated that her bank account had been targeted by an unauthorized withdrawal. She was instructed to hand over her ATM card to a person posing as an officer who would visit her residence to verify the account.
Suspecting fraud, the woman contacted her son and the local police department on Wednesday evening. A police official told AFP that officers were deployed to her home on Thursday before the suspect arrived. When the 47-year-old man appeared at the doorstep to collect the card, waiting officers arrested him on the spot.
Elderly residents are targeted through telephone-based schemes involving impersonation of officials or bank representatives. In the Shiga case, the local official described the 93-year-old woman as "articulate" and urged other residents to consult family members immediately if they receive similar calls.
The specific charges against the 47-year-old man in Shiga were not detailed in the report. The official timeline for his court appearances or further legal actions was not reported. Individuals are advised by Japanese authorities to verify the identity of anyone requesting financial information or physical access to banking cards.