Hou criticizes Taiwan’s anti-fraud efforts amid rising scams

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang presidential candidate (KMT) Hou Yu-ih questioned the effectiveness of Taiwan's anti-fraud efforts on Thursday, Dec. 7. Despite an investment of NT$2.7 billion into the national anti-scam team, Hou claimed that cases of fraud are on the rise in Taiwan.

In a press conference on anti-fraud policies, held jointly with his running mate Jaw Shau-kong, Hou, the former head of the National Police Agency (NPA), criticized the current state's response to escalating financial deception.

Hou pointed out that Taiwan's estimated annual loss from scam-related activities is as high as NT＄70 billion. He attributed the problem to lenient penalties for fraud, which he believes lead to high recidivism rates. 

To address these issues, Hou advocated for a three-pronged policy approach: steeper penalties reflective of the amount scammed, interdepartmental cooperation between agencies to form an "anti-fraud crossfire network," and the strengthening of both cross-strait and international cooperation to pursue fraudsters.

Furthermore, Hou blamed the existing anti-fraud agencies, including the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the Financial Supervisory Commission, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Justice, for a lack of coordinated strategy, vowing to ensure better collaboration if elected.

Jaw added a comparison between the treatment of fraudsters deported back to Taiwan and those sent to mainland China, stating that while in Taiwan they face sentences of only four to five years, akin to "heaven," being sent to the mainland is like "hell," where they could face the death penalty.

Jaw observed that while traditional scams involved simple deceit for money, modern con artists frequently target the elderly, posing as utility bill collectors.

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