Taiwan Scams: Anti-Fraud, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
Common scams in Taiwan and how to report them via the 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline, NPA, and your bank.
Emergency number: 110 (police), 119 (fire/ambulance) — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Taiwan operates one of Asia's most active anti-fraud infrastructures: the 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline, staffed 24 hours a day by the Criminal Investigation Bureau, allows victims to report fraud, verify suspicious contacts, and request interception of transfers in progress. Reporting to 165 immediately is the single most important step after discovering fraud.
Taiwan effectively invented the modern prosecutor-impersonation scam, and it remains the heavyweight: a call from a fake telecom operator or health-insurance office escalates to 'police' and then a 'prosecutor', who accuses the victim of involvement in money laundering and demands funds be moved to a 'supervised account' — with couriers sometimes collecting cash or bank books in person. A second wave of fraud rides on e-commerce: fake 'customer service' calls claim a shop accidentally enrolled you in an instalment plan or duplicate order, then a fake 'bank' walks you through ATM operations that actually transfer money out. Real merchants and banks never fix billing errors via ATM.
Investment fraud now produces the largest losses: LINE and Facebook groups fronted by fake analysts and deepfaked celebrities funnel victims into rigged stock and crypto apps, with withdrawals blocked behind 'taxes' and 'credit scores'. Romance scams blend into the same platforms, and task scams recruit for order-boosting 'jobs' that demand growing deposits. Fake overseas job offers — high pay in Southeast Asia for vague duties — remain trafficking lures into scam compounds. Dodgy links in SMS impersonate Chunghwa Post, banks, and tax refunds. Call 165 to verify anything suspicious before paying, and if money has moved, call 165 and your bank together — the freeze system works while funds remain in the receiving account.
Common scams
- Voice fraud — callers impersonating prosecutors, police, or banks
- Investment and crypto fraud (including pig-butchering)
- Task scams paying small amounts then requiring deposits
- Romance scams via dating apps and social media
Tourist-specific scams
- Overcharging unlicensed taxis
- Counterfeit goods at tourist night markets
- Fake accommodation and tour bookings via social media pages
Online shopping scams
- Phishing impersonating Taiwanese banks or postal service
- Online shopping non-delivery via fake sites
- Social media marketplace scams
- Fake 'cancel the instalment plan' customer-service calls directing victims to ATMs
Job scams
- Task scams requiring deposits to 'unlock' earnings
- Fake overseas job offers — some linked to regional scam operations
- Order-boosting 'part-time work' recruited through LINE groups
Romance scams
- Dating-app romance and pig-butchering crypto investment grooming
- LINE 'wrong friend request' contacts warming into investment talk
- Video-call sextortion via dating and social apps
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and unlicensed investment operators
- Crypto 'AI bot' and pig-butchering schemes
- LINE/Facebook 'analyst' groups with deepfaked celebrities
How to report a scam here
- Call the 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline immediately — available 24/7 for reporting and interception requests
- Contact your bank immediately to freeze the account
- Report online via the 165 portal at 165.npa.gov.tw
- File a police report at the nearest police station or call 110
Local reporting & protection links
- Cybercrime reporting
- Consumer protection
- Police
- 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline — Dial 165 (24/7) — report fraud and request transfer interception
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Call the 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline and your bank at the same time, because the chance of intercepting a transfer falls sharply once the money moves on. 165 is staffed around the clock by the Criminal Investigation Bureau and can request that a transfer be intercepted and the receiving account frozen under Taiwan's watch-listed account system — mule accounts flagged this way are locked quickly, which is why minutes matter. Reach your bank through the number on your card or its official app, never a number a caller gave you. Say that you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for the receiving account to be reported, and note the reference number you are given. If you performed ATM operations under phone instruction, tell the bank exactly which menus you used, and if you handed over a bank book, ATM card, or PIN, say so — surrendered accounts get abused as mules within hours. File the formal police report afterwards; banks require it for the frozen-fund return process.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
What is the 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline?
165 is Taiwan's national anti-fraud hotline, operated 24/7 by the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the National Police Agency. You can call to report fraud, verify suspicious contacts, and request that a recent fraudulent transfer be frozen if the funds have not yet been withdrawn.
Are prosecutor impersonation scams common in Taiwan?
Yes. Fraudsters call claiming to be prosecutors or police, alleging the victim is implicated in a money-laundering case and must transfer funds to a 'safe account' for investigation. Real prosecutors never contact citizens by phone to demand money transfers.
How do I report a scam online in Taiwan?
Use the 165 Anti-Fraud online reporting portal at 165.npa.gov.tw/#/report/statement, available at any time. You can also call 165 or report in person at the nearest police station.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance