TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued an urgent directive Thursday (June 5) for heightened surveillance of escalating financial fraud, while demanding that digital platforms implement stronger self-regulation and warning systems. His call to action follows a recent NT$1 million (approximately US$33,387) fine imposed on Meta by the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA, 數發部), Taiwan's technology regulatory agency established in 2022, for inadequate advertising transparency violations, with officials currently processing 23 additional comparable cases reported within the past week.
At a government briefing, Executive Yuan (行政院, Taiwan's cabinet) spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) presented data showing that although the overall number of reported fraud incidents had decreased during the period following Lunar New Year through February, the monetary value of successful scams surged dramatically from March through May. Financial investment schemes and romantic relationship deceptions continue to be the most financially damaging fraud categories. Premier Cho stressed that digital platforms must take greater responsibility for identifying and restricting fraudulent advertisements, while urging Taiwan's dedicated 165 Anti-fraud Hotline (165反詐騙專線), a specialized police unit, to accelerate case resolution and advocating for enhanced criminal sanctions against perpetrators.
MODA Deputy Minister Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬) revealed that the technology ministry has formally requested LINE, the dominant messaging application in Taiwan with over 21 million local users, to implement automatic warning notifications when users receive messages from unknown contacts using non-Taiwanese phone numbers. The deputy minister further disclosed that ministry officials organized a multi-agency coordination meeting on May 29 with technology stakeholders to evaluate potential regulatory consequences after reviewing Meta's official response to the advertising disclosure violations that prompted the recent financial penalty.
Government officials across multiple agencies are strengthening anti-fraud measures while simultaneously pressuring technology companies and advising the public to exercise increased caution when conducting online transactions or communicating with unfamiliar contacts. Cybersecurity experts view these coordinated initiatives as reflecting the administration's growing recognition of digital fraud as a significant national security concern requiring comprehensive responses that balance technological solutions, regulatory enforcement, and public education campaigns to safeguard Taiwan's increasingly digitized society. ◼