TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — Taichung City Government officials confirmed Monday (July 28) that a viral image circulating through online groups represents dangerous misinformation. The fabricated image falsely claims a NT$40,000 (around US$1,361) payout to residents and features Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕). The fake announcement suggested that Taichung, Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan would distribute funds from a NT$12 billion (around US$408 million) tax surplus.
City government officials emphasized that Taiwan's parliament, the Legislative Yuan (立法院), has approved a nationwide NT$10,000 (around US$340) distribution plan. Taiwan's cabinet, the Executive Yuan (行政院), has yet to implement this approved measure. Officials clarified that no additional NT$40,000 (around US$1,361) payment would occur from Taichung, while police urged citizens to verify information before sharing and warned that violators could face administrative fines or criminal charges.
Authorities planned to deploy online intelligence-gathering techniques and police systems to track the misinformation's source and prosecute those responsible for spreading false claims. Police officials stated they would handle individuals with malicious intent according to existing legal frameworks. Residents should exercise caution and rely exclusively on official government announcements to avoid inadvertently spreading dangerous false information across social media platforms. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$29.4)