TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Executive Yuan passed four new laws in May to combat the alarming rise in scams, including raising the maximum sentence for severe fraud to 10 years.
The anti-fraud bills, which require legislative approval, not only up the punishment for scammers but expand police surveillance authority and compel social media platforms to remove ads, Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) told a news conference on May 9. Chen said that scams have risen in recent years, with fraud groups targeting telecommunications networks, online advertising, and virtual currencies, per CNA.
The proposed legislation empowers the police with new technologies to investigate fraud, such as GPS tracking systems and thermal imaging cameras. However, the Ministry of Justice reassured the public that these methods would be strictly regulated according to law, and they would only be triggered if specific thresholds were met.
These tools would require prior court authorization, bearing in mind the right to privacy, officials said. Rules requiring the destruction of data obtained by snooping still apply, they added.
In addition, the laws would strengthen the responsibilities of social media and advertising companies to remove scams from their platforms. Foreign companies would be required to register their platforms with the government and appoint a legal representative in Taiwan to ensure compliance with government orders to remove ads, officials said.
The new amendments would likely apply to Facebook, TikTok, and Google, Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang (唐鳳) said.
In terms of criminal liability, perpetrators of severe fraud, resulting in more than NT$10 million (US$308,000) in losses, could face three to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of NT$30 million. Major offenders could see their sentences increased by 50% if the crime involved three or more co-conspirators impersonating the government or officials, or deep fake technology.
Repeat offenders would also be subject to harsher sentences and denied parole on their third jail sentence, officials said. The punishment could be lessened if the offender surrenders before being caught, returns victims’ losses, or cooperates with authorities to track other offenders.
