fraud cases in Taiwan 結果共6筆

Dcard, a popular Taiwanese networking platform, has been the target of multiple police and judicial searches due to numerous instances involving anonymous postings that resulted in fraud, child and teenager safety issues, and defamation cases. Despite polite requests from Taiwanese authorities for data, Dcard has refused to comply, leading to criticism from attorney and former prosecutor Perseus Chen. Chen pointed out that while Facebook’s headquarters in the United States are beyond Taiwanese law enforcement’s jurisdiction, Dcard, being based in Taiwan, should cooperate with local investigations into criminal matters. Chen’s comments have further intensified scrutiny on Dcard’s handling of law enforcement requests and its adherence to legal obligations in Taiwan.

The ＂Taiwan 2023 Character of the Year＂ poll announced that the character ＂缺＂ (lack) received the most votes, representing the multifaceted social issues faced by Taiwan. The character symbolizes challenges such as shortages of water, electricity, masks, vaccines, rapid test kits, labor, and notably, eggs. ＂蛋＂ (egg) secured the second position, forming the term ＂缺蛋＂ (lack eggs), highlighting the egg scarcity in Taiwan. ＂詐＂ (fraud) came in third place, reflecting the persistent fraud cases in Taiwanese society. The nominations for these characters were made by Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang, former Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien, and Taiwan Mobile President Jamie Lin, who emphasized growing insecurity, political quality, and fraud issues, respectively. The ＂Taiwan 2023 Character of the Year＂ election, organized by the CTBC Foundation for Arts and Culture and the United Daily News, received a total of 65,043 votes from the public over a 25-day period. This annual character selection has been conducted for 16 consecutive years, reflecting the pulse of Taiwanese society and its people’s thoughts.

Kuomintang presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih criticizes Taiwan’s anti-fraud efforts, claiming that fraud cases are increasing despite an investment of NT$2.7 billion into the national anti-scam team. Hou attributes the problem to lenient penalties for fraud, leading to high recidivism rates. He proposes a three-pronged policy approach, including steeper penalties reflective of the amount scammed, interdepartmental cooperation, and stronger cross-strait and international cooperation. Hou also blames existing anti-fraud agencies for a lack of coordinated strategy and vows to improve collaboration if elected. Hou’s running mate, Jaw Shau-kong, compares the treatment of fraudsters in Taiwan and mainland China, stating that Taiwan’s sentences are lenient compared to the death penalty in the mainland. Jaw highlights that modern con artists often target the elderly, posing as utility bill collectors.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih and his running mate, Jaw Shaw-kong, have pledged to crack down on Taiwan’s rampant fraud industry. If elected, they plan to conduct a sweeping operation against fraud groups in their first year, aiming to reduce fraud cases to a third of the current number in the second year and cutting them by half in the third year. Hou, drawing on his past anti-fraud experience, criticizes the current government for its investment in a national anti-fraud team that has seen an increase in fraud cases and arrests. He advocates for stronger surveillance by the National Communications Commission (NCC) in telecom facilities and emphasizes the need for cooperation with mainland China. Hou aims to leverage the Organized Crime Prevention Act to produce tangible results in the fight against fraud by the fourth year of his presidency.

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislator-at-large candidate Vivian Huang has expressed concerns about the proposal to reinstate the Special Investigation Division (SID). Huang questions the necessity of reviving the SID when other prosecutors should be capable of handling cases without it. This debate arises from Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih’s recent proposal to revive the disbanded SID. Huang has called on the KMT and Hou to provide specific details and reasoning for restoring the SID before she decides whether to support the initiative. TPP’s presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has also criticized the establishment of new units whenever problems arise, expressing doubts about their effectiveness. Huang, along with other TPP legislator-at-large candidates, has emphasized the need for judicial reforms to combat judicial injustices, unlawful influence-peddling, organized crime, opaque parole processes, and to address challenges faced by prosecutors such as interference, inadequate training, and a rise in fraud cases. These reforms include the introduction of whistle blower protection laws and criminalization of unlawful gifting and influence trading.

Minister of the Interior Lin Yu-chang visited the Taoyuan Police Department, urging officers to crack down on bribery and maintain order ahead of the 2024 elections. The Taiwanese government has actively promoted nationwide anti-fraud measures in preparation for the general elections. Minister Lin emphasized the potential for foreign forces to disrupt societal order through false information and called for increased vigilance in intelligence gathering by the police. He praised the Taoyuan Police Department for successfully preventing 1,176 fraud cases this year, ranking them first among the six special municipalities in Taiwan. With the elections approaching, Lin highlighted the police’s role in deterring election bribery, online gambling, and fake news. The central government is committed to reinforcing the national police force and enhancing police welfare, with the National Police Agency compiling the needs of various police stations to ensure they are adequately met.