"Special Scams" Targeting Seniors
-I think the situation for crime prevention has completely changed due to the corona crisis. What do you think?
Mr. Funao: Fraud is an overwhelming problem these days. In particular, it is a special scam that targets the elderly.
--Does it become easier to be deceived after retirement because of the loss of social connection and the deterioration of judgment due to aging?
Mr. Funao: That's part of it, but the situation is more serious. When people who have been socially valued retire, they often lose their social recognition and connections with society.
Therefore, if someone asks you for help or asks you to do something about it, you will easily get caught in fraudulent tricks.
--I didn't understand why people weren't being deceived even though there were warnings here and there. I have a heart problem like that.
Mr. Funao: Criminals also target these "security holes in the mind." It is desirable for society to solve this problem, but I think it is better for individuals to create a situation in which they communicate with their families on a daily basis.
――It seems that there are times when you become a stubborn elderly person who has a lot of pride in having various experiences in society, and it is difficult to listen to other people's opinions.
Start with minimal preparations, such as mobile phone monitoring
--Recent crimes are getting worse, and even if you're careful, you can suddenly get caught up in them. After all, it seems that there is also a side where the Internet and smartphones have developed too much and devastated people's minds.
Mr. Funao: Video conferencing has become popular due to the corona crisis, and it has become familiar to make video calls with parents who live far away. This is one of the positive aspects, but it is also dangerous when looking at the whole way of communication.
In the old days, not everyone had a smartphone, but a landline phone at home was the norm. By having my family act as an intermediary once, I was able to shut out suspicious parties and share the content of conversations with my family. Now is the time to communicate directly with criminals on mobile phones and smartphones.
-I can't always watch over you, but I'm worried about leaving you completely alone. Please let me know if you have any affordable services.
Mr. Funao: The amount of time spent at home is increasing due to the corona crisis, but I would like you to know that there are tactics called "iaki" and "sneaking in" that aim at home instead of burglary.
We recommend SECOM Home Security as a basic security service. If an intrusion is detected while you are out or at home, a notification will be sent to SECOM. Also, I think that there are many parents who think, "I'm still young" or "I have a limited smartphone," but the "SECOM Mimamori Phone", which comes with an emergency buzzer strap and can be pulled to make an emergency call to SECOM, is also healthy. I think it's safe to have a parent with anxiety.
Secom Co., Ltd. IS Research Institute Social Affairs Division Risk Management Group. He is also active as a security equipment engineer and interior coordinator, and is familiar with children's crime prevention.
Etsuko KimuraAfter working at a publishing company, founded Mitoshiro Shobo. She plans, edits and writes for paper and web. His books include "A hard-to-enter but wonderful shop" and "A dictionary of similar animals 'how to distinguish'". Areas of interest include food culture, zoology, and fortune-telling.
Click here for a list of articles by this author