3rd January 2025 – (Kaohsiung City) Taiwanese media reported on Thursday that police in the Sam-bîn-khu were alerted by a bank employee regarding a suspicious attempt to transfer NT$1,000 (approximately HK$236). Upon investigation, officers discovered that the case involved a common online romance scam, prompting 37-year-old Mr. Hsieh to rethink his decision to proceed with the transfer. He expressed gratitude to the police for their assistance in preventing the scam.
According to the authorities, Mr. Hsieh had earlier received a friend request from a woman via a messaging app, and the two quickly struck up a conversation. The woman claimed that she had exhausted her savings paying for her mother’s medical expenses and was now unable to afford food. Moved by her plight, Mr. Hsieh decided to send his last NT$1,000 to the woman’s mother’s bank account.
However, during the transaction, a vigilant bank employee noticed something amiss and promptly alerted the police. Investigations revealed that the account belonged to a man and that the personal details provided did not match any verified individual. Officers explained to Mr. Hsieh that he was being targeted by a well-known romance scam, successfully persuading him to avoid falling victim to the scheme.
