Enhancing Anti-Fraud Efficiency: Chiayi County Police Department Signs MOU with King’s Town Bank

Enhancing Anti-Fraud Efficiency: Chiayi County Police Department Signs MOU with King’s Town Bank

With fraud schemes becoming increasingly sophisticated, the Chiayi County Police Department has partnered with financial institutions to strengthen fraud prevention efforts. Today (13th), the Department signed a "MOU on Anti-Fraud Cooperation" with King’s Town Bank. The agreement aims to facilitate the exchange of non-confidential and non-personal data, improving communication and administrative efficiency to enhance case investigation effectiveness.

The MOU was signed by King’s Town Bank President Hung-Liang Chiang and Chiayi County Police Chief Li Chuan-Che. Under this partnership, both parties will establish an intelligence-sharing platform for financial crimes such as fraud and money laundering. During the signing ceremony, three bank employees also shared successful cases where they helped prevent fraud.

Li Chuan-Che stated that financial institutions serve as the first point of contact for customers making withdrawals and transfers, making them the first line of defense in assisting the police in preventing fraud. He expressed hope that the signing of the MOU would further strengthen collaboration between law enforcement and banks in the joint fight against fraud. Hung-Liang Chiang noted that the agreement is expected to enhance cooperation between both parties, enabling fraud prevention measures to be implemented at the counter before customers fall victim to scams.

As part of the signing ceremony, the Chiayi County Police Department also held a press conference on “Fraud Trends and Prevention Measures”, providing insights into recent fraud cases in the county. Li Chuan-Che reported that, according to the anti-fraud dashboard, Chiayi County recorded 257 fraud cases in December, a slight decrease of two cases (0.77%) compared to November and the financial losses amounted to NT$83,899,700, representing an increase of NT$10,945,334 (15.01%) from the previous month.

According to district statistics, the areas with the highest fraud occurrences in Chiayi County are Minxiong Township, Shuishang Township, Taibao City, Zhongpu Township, and Puzi City. Regarding fraud methods, the top three most common scams in the county are: Fake investment schemes; Lottery prize scams; Installment payment cancellation scams. Victim demographics show that women are the most frequently targeted, with the 30 to 39 age group being the most.

Li Chuan-Che emphasized that in the future, the police department will not only continue cracking down on fraud but also enhance intelligence sharing with financial institutions. Efforts will be made to improve abnormal account reporting, enabling financial institutions to swiftly freeze scam-related bank accounts. Through a resource-sharing mechanism, financial institutions will analyze potential high-risk customers and issue warnings to those at greater risk, working together to combat financial fraud. Additionally, the latest anti-fraud information will be consolidated and tailored for different demographics, ensuring more effective fraud awareness campaigns to strengthen the public’s ability to recognize scams.

Last year, the Chiayi County Police Department carried out four waves of anti-fraud operations under the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, leading to the dismantling of 96 fraud groups and the arrest of 516 suspects. Authorities seized a total of NT$69.14 million in illicit proceeds. In terms of fraud prevention, 186 scam attempts were successfully intercepted, preventing financial losses totaling NT$90.29 million, an increase of NT$11.49 million compared to the same period in 2023.

Fraud cases continue to rise, and law enforcement remains relentless in its efforts. On January 6, the Chiayi County Police Department successfully cracked down on a fake investment scam. The victim, Mr. Wang, came across an investment advertisement on Facebook and was persuaded to register on the “Gibctoera” investment platform. He then handed over NT$990,000 in person to a fraudster named Mr. Wu, who posed as a cryptocurrency dealer, believing he was purchasing virtual currency for investment. However, when Mr. Wang attempted to withdraw his supposed earnings, the fraud ring demanded an additional NT$400,000. Working with the victim, the police set up a sting operation. They lured the suspect to a face-to-face transaction at a "stinky tofu" shop in Taibao City and arrested Mr. Wu on the spot. Law enforcement seized his mobile phone, investment contracts, and NT$650,000 in cash as evidence.