Election season in Taiwan sees surge of four common fraud schemes targeting voters and businesses

With Taiwan’s nine-in-one local elections scheduled for next month, the Criminal Investigation Bureau issued a warning about four dominant election-related scams. The most frequent involves counterfeit giveaways of campaign merchandise, where fraudsters direct users to fake banking interfaces to siphon money, exemplified by a case in which a victim lost NT$340,000. A second scheme sells bogus investment opportunities in campaign billboard ads, promising high returns once a candidate wins.

The third tactic sees scammers impersonating candidates or officials on social platforms, requesting loans or transfers for alleged election expenses. The fourth targets businesses by offering large product orders framed as in-kind political donations, later defaulting with bounced checks. Authorities advise the public to verify unfamiliar links, avoid online banking verification requests, and contact the 165 anti-fraud hotline for assistance.