A Taipei man was talked into borrowing money for a "guaranteed profit" property deal by a former insurance agent, and a bank clerk's questions stopped the transfer just in time.

• A 58-year-old man went to a bank in Taipei's Da'an district to take out a NT$300,000 personal loan and wire it to an account he was given.
• The pitch came from an insurance agent he had dealt with before, promising 1.7% profit a month and full return of his money after a year, with "zero risk."
• The agent had already left the insurance company but was still using its name and old client trust to raise money.
• The teller spotted the classic warning signs and called police, who checked the agent's employment status and showed the man it was a scam.

Outlook: Police are warning that "guaranteed returns" pitches from familiar faces — former agents, colleagues, professionals — are the most common trap right now, and bank staff are being pushed to question large loan transfers.