Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen attended the “2025 Fraud Prevention Forum” on the 17th, stating that “fraud has become an ecosystem,” and the government must be determined to root out evil. He emphasized that without addressing fraud, efforts to combat it will not cease.
President Tsai Ing-wen pointed out in his speech that the harm of fraud to Taiwanese society is immeasurable, and the government is taking proactive measures. In terms of organization, the Executive Yuan has established the “Anti-Fraud Command Center,” supervised by Political Deputy Minister Lin Ming-hsin and commanded by Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shi-yuan, working together with various units such as the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice, Financial Supervisory Commission, National Communication Commission, to combat fraud. Both central and local governments are cooperating, along with private sector involvement, aiming to minimize the damage caused by fraud through effective organization.
Tsai Ing-wen mentioned that under the leadership of Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung, the “Fraud Prevention Manifesto 1.0” has been upgraded to “Fraud Prevention Manifesto 2.0,” incorporating the existing four aspects – “identification, prevention, blocking, punishment” – and adding “prevention” under the responsibility of the National Communication Commission. This includes measures such as strengthening real-name authentication for online advertising platforms, utilizing artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and big data to scan for fraudulent advertisements on social media, and establishing a virtual currency verification system to make it difficult for fraud groups to operate.
In terms of budget, Tsai Ing-wen stated that this year’s anti-fraud budget has been increased to a total of NT$7.3 billion. Therefore, the government aims to actively combat fraud through organization, law, policy, and budgetary means.
Moreover, Tsai Ing-wen encouraged the administrative team and frontline judicial personnel to commit to fighting fraud. He introduced the “165 Fraud Dashboard,” which discloses daily fraud case acceptance numbers and the amount of financial losses, to raise public awareness of fraud in society. Through media reports, common fraud tactics are shared to enhance public awareness, serving as a goal for the team to strive towards.
“Fraud is not typically an isolated criminal act, especially in the modern era of advanced technology, where it has become a whole ecosystem. We must show determination, consistently combatting fraud in every region, actively fighting against corruption, illegal money flows, arms, drugs, and fraud. I believe that the government team has expertise and we must have faith that righteousness will prevail,” Tsai Ing-wen said.
Regarding the recent joint efforts of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office and the New Taipei City Criminal Investigation Bureau to crack down on the largest fraud syndicate money laundering case in Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen expressed gratitude. He stressed that the success figures of law enforcement teams in combating fraud represent the degree of harm inflicted on individuals, families, or society by fraud. He quoted a vow made by Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, “Not until the hells are empty will I become a Buddha,” urging law enforcement personnel to approach their work with compassion akin to that of a Bodhisattva, continuing their efforts to combat fraud.
Tsai Ing-wen reminded the public that when faced with suspicious cases of fraud, it’s crucial to “stop, look, and listen.” Statistics show that many fraud cases involve investment frauds, wherein individuals online offer financial investment opportunities. It’s essential to be cautious of potential fraud; one can search the Fraud Dashboard for similar incidents or verify by contacting the relevant authorities or nearby police station if dubious requests are made by imposters posing as police, prosecutors, or tax authorities asking for account details or money transfers, as such scenarios are likely fraudulent.
Tsai Ing-wen highlighted that some individuals involved in fraud syndicates are tech-savvy. Nevertheless, he cautioned that virtuous individuals earn money through proper means. With advancing technology, even if organized crime groups are powerful, they cannot commit crimes if tech-savvy individuals refuse to join them. He urged individuals not to engage in unlawful activities and encouraged those inadvertently involved to report to government agencies and collectively prevent fraud.
He also encouraged the police to not just catch the small fish, but to understand the criminal organizations behind them before the harm escalates: “We must not only catch the small fish but also the criminal organizations behind them.”
“Combatting fraud is the government’s undeniable responsibility,” Tsai Ing-wen emphasized, expressing gratitude to the industry and private sector for their support. He hopes that the general public will have a basic understanding of identifying fraud, leading to continuous improvement in anti-fraud efforts, ultimately reducing the number of victims and fostering stability in Taiwanese society.