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Japan has begun installing signal jammers at various ATMs in an effort to prevent the ongoing fraud problems. Back in October, Japan police made nationwide efforts to prevent citizens, especially senior citizens, from an outbreak of various telephone scams.

The fraud attempts targeted the elderly who were instructed by phone to withdraw money from the bank. During the withdrawal, the con artist told victims to bring a mobile phone in order to receive continuous instructions. Eventually police stationed themselves at ATMs and questioned people who were using cell phones. Mobile phone signal jammers have been installed at 4 unmanned locations in the Tokyo area thus far.

The devices are installed on the ceiling, emitting cellular signal interference waves. People standing at a safe distance behind the customer at the ATM should not be affected by the 1-2 meter sphere being emitted by the jammer. The bank will slowly phase in these mobile phone signal jammers at all of their ATM locations. The Japan Ministry of Public Management must issue a cell phone blocking license before these units may be legally installed. Some medical facilities and music venues in Japan currently have these devices installed.