Taiwan police and banks stop fraud schemes, safeguarding victims

Police in Kaohsiung stopped a woman from buying NT$10,000 worth of Apple Store gift cards after she was lured by an online‑dating scam that promised to convert the points into U.S. dollars. The intervention saved her savings and highlighted the tactics of fraud groups that use romantic manipulation and gift‑card purchases.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau announced a partnership with Far Eastern Commercial Bank that has blocked about 4,000 fraudulent transactions in the past six months, preventing losses of roughly NT$5.5 billion. June’s fraud data showed online‑shopping scams accounted for 29% of incidents, while false‑investment schemes caused the greatest monetary loss. Recent legal amendments have strengthened cross‑industry reporting and coordination among police, financial institutions and virtual‑asset service providers, improving real‑time detection and response to fraud.

Authorities continue to warn the public to verify suspicious requests and use official hotlines for fraud prevention.