fraud cases 結果共10筆

Discover how Taiwan is stepping up its fight against fraud with a landmark conference that brought together industry leaders and legislators to unveil new prevention measures.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance’s National Treasury Administration is reminding parents to claim their remaining NT$6,000 subsidies for newborns before 5 p.m. on Jan. 31. Out of the 35,000 eligible newborns, approximately 33,500 have already received their benefits. Parents need to present identification papers and the birth certificate of their newborn at the post office counter to receive the subsidies. If someone else is collecting on their behalf, they must also provide identification. In cases where the birth mother is not eligible, birth registration and confirmation of the father’s eligibility are required. The government does not send text messages or emails regarding money collection or enrollment, and will not ask for bank transfers over phone calls. If individuals encounter suspicious websites or messages, they should report it immediately by dialing the 165 anti-fraud hotline.

Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao is set to appear in Taipei District Court on Wednesday, December 27, as the defendant in two separate legal matters. In the morning case, Kao is accused of defamation by Tario Ong, a business professor at Western Washington University, who claimed on social media that Kao’s doctoral thesis contained unreferenced data from the Institute for Information Industry. After Kao reported Ong for aggravated defamation and the prosecutor chose not to indict, Ong filed a countersuit. In the afternoon case, Kao is facing charges of fraudulently claiming assistant fees during her time as a legislator. The Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office has charged Kao with fraudulently obtaining NT＄460,030 in wages and overtime pay for her assistants, resulting in charges of embezzlement and forgery. The courtroom may face an overflow of observers from the Hsinchu City Government. The cases are ongoing with further developments pending.

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.

The New Taipei City Police Department conducted a 10-day operation resulting in the uncovering of 42 cases related to gang activity and fraud, leading to the arrest of 180 individuals. The operation aimed to prevent gang involvement in the upcoming elections, with a particular focus on criminal organizations like the Bamboo Union. During the operation, 73 members from 12 gang branches, including the Bamboo Union, were arrested. Additionally, the police uncovered 30 instances of fraud syndicates, resulting in the arrest of 107 individuals and the seizure of five modified firearms. The total amount of illicit earnings confiscated was over NT$10.23 million. The New Taipei City Police Department emphasized their commitment to maintaining order during the election season and expressed zero tolerance for election gambling or any violence that could disrupt the election. They will continue to carry out specialized operations targeting gang organizations, illegal firearms, drugs, and gambling crimes.