nhk world's norika okada tells us more. >> reporter: telephone fraud has become a major issue in japan. nearly half of the victims are elderly women. swindlers on the phone posing as the sons or grandsons of potential targets made off with around $170 million last year, up 53% from the year before. this type of crime had decreased at one time, but it began a resurgence four years ago. this woman in her 70s lives alone near tokyo. last year she received a phone call from a man who claimed to be a city hall employee. he told her that her medical expenses over a certain amount will be refunded. she gave him her bank information and received a phone call on her mobile phone from a person who claimed to be a bank employee. she was asked to go to a nearby atm to make a cash transfer. the caller kept her on the line as she made the transfer, and she did as she was told. eventually she transferred nearly $5,000 dollars into someone else's account. >> translator: i was confident that i would never be a scam victim, but i now realize that i was wrong after what i have experienced. i now feel tha