Nine people were defrauded out of NT$9.33 million (US$299,518) in September, some in scams seeking to exploit the government’s universal cash handout program, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said yesterday.
A 77-year-old retiree in Taipei lost NT$3.2 million to scammers, after receiving a call from a person claiming to be a post office employee, the bureau said.
The fraudster told the woman that someone had used her ID to collect the cash handout, and transferred her to a fake police officer, allegedly at the government’s 165 anti-fraud hotline, it said.
Photo: CNA
The “officer” told the woman to add them on the messaging app Line to verify her information.
She later received a call from another person impersonating a police officer telling her that she was involved in a money laundering scheme, sending her a fake summons and search warrant over Line, the bureau said.
The scammer told the woman that if the police discovered money in a search of her home, the funds would be confiscated as illegal monetary gains. She was then told to make an appointment with them to turn over the money in her home.
The scammers also asked her to add a person claiming to be a prosecutor to Line, and was told not to disclose the nature of their “investigation,” it said.
She then gave them the NT$3.2 million she had in her home.
Five of the nine cases were committed by scammers impersonating prosecutors and police officers, bureau data showed.
Three were committed by scammers who claimed that they were collecting cash handouts on behalf of others and prompted victims to send them their ATM cards through the mail.
The other incident involved a fake Web site for the universal cash handout program, which obtained the victim’s credit card information.
So far, suspects involved in six of the nine fraud schemes have been arrested, the bureau said.
The bureau said it had received 70 to 80 scam calls and messages related to the universal cash handout program.
To prevent being deceived by fraud, people should avoid clicking on suspicious links or giving out personal data to strangers or unverified Web sites, and do not wire funds to strangers or spread misinformation, the CIB said.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS