The National Police Agency’s anti-fraud campaigns and policies have failed to adequately protect migrant workers and spouses, who are shown to be at high risk, the TransAsia Sisters Association (TSAT) and other civic groups told a news conference today.
The groups called on the government to release multilingual information and communication channels, with a reporting mechanism that is accessible for migrant workers and new arrivals.
The number of migrants in Taiwan reached 1.45 million as of June, with 840,000 migrant workers and 610,000 migrant spouses, the association said.
Photo: CNA
This morning’s conference, jointly held with the Immigration and Resettlement Human Rights Amendment Alliance and the Taiwan Immigration Youth Alliance, presented a report on a study of institutional issues of migrant workers falling prey to scams.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Alicia Wang (王育敏) and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yueh-chin (林月琴) were also in attendance.
The government promotes anti-fraud campaigns for “all of society,” but it too often overlooks groups that need the most protection, such as migrant workers and migrant spouses, TSAT director Hung Man-chi (洪滿技) said.
This includes anti-fraud guidelines, support hotlines and reporting systems, leaving victims with nowhere to turn to, she said.
Taiwan has 165 anti-fraud hotlines, although they are available only in Chinese and are not accessible to non-native speakers, Wang said.
The study found that migrants often fall victim to “everyday scams” in areas such as shopping or dating, and “systemic fraud,” TSAT chairperson Chou Hui-ying (周慧盈) said.
This reflects loopholes in policy that leaves migrant workers open to long-term risk, even leaving some undocumented or missing, Chou said.
Almost 30 percent of respondents reported being scammed by recruiters using misleading information regarding job transfers, legal documentation or high-paying job opportunities, she said.
Another 30 percent said they had encountered scammers impersonating government agencies or reputable companies, she added.
The study also found that those who experienced fraud were more likely to turn to friends, those from the same community or local immigrant or migrant organisations, she said.
Only a small percentage chose to file a report with the police, it found, showing that official mechanisms are rarely the first point of call for Taiwan’s migrants.
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