TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) sounded the alarm on Taiwan's growing fraud epidemic Wednesday (March 26), highlighting the devastating personal and economic impact these crimes inflict on unsuspecting citizens. During a press conference at city hall, the mayor painted a grim picture of widespread scam operations that continue to ensnare victims across the island nation, with many cases going unreported as victims struggle with shame and confusion. Officials from the New Taipei City Government emphasized that current statistics likely represent only a fraction of the actual fraud landscape.
Data presented by the New Taipei City Police Department (新北市警察局) revealed the staggering scale of the problem: Taiwan averaged 18,676 fraud cases monthly last year, with financial losses surpassing NT$12.5 billion (approximately US$378.8 million). Police Commissioner Liao Hsun-cheng (廖訓誠) detailed how investment scams have become particularly pervasive, prompting the city to establish a specialized fraud prevention office staffed with 170 experts dedicated to raising public awareness. The city has also pioneered an integrated anti-fraud mechanism that coordinates efforts between prosecutors, police forces, and court officials. This systematic approach has yielded impressive results, with arrest rates climbing from 70% in 2022 to 82% by February 2025, while detention rates have jumped from 21% to 37.2%.
Mayor Hou emphasized that prevention remains the most effective weapon against fraud, calling for enhanced cooperation between Taiwan's central government and local municipalities to combat increasingly sophisticated scams proliferating through social media platforms like Facebook and mobile messaging services. "As fraudsters continually refine their tactics, our counter-measures must evolve with equal sophistication," the mayor implied during his address. His appeal for a unified national-local government approach reflects growing recognition that fragmented efforts are insufficient against the organized criminal networks orchestrating these financial crimes across digital and traditional channels.
