Yunlin ethics chief loses NT$1.37 million to investment scam
Taiwan's anti-corruption watchdog has an embarrassment on its hands: the official in charge of clean government in Yunlin County fell for a fake investment scheme he was supposed to warn people about.
- Hsing Chi-chun, head of Yunlin County's Government Ethics Department, lost NT$1.37 million to a scam that started with an investment pitch on TikTok.
- He joined a LINE group posing as an investment company, wired money, then handed over cash in person to a courier before realizing it was fraud.
- He reported it to police, who tracked down two members of the ring; both were convicted and jailed.
- The job is the awkward part — his office runs anti-fraud campaigns, and he has held ethics posts at the Defense Ministry, the High Court, and the Agency Against Corruption.
- He called it a personal lapse and urged people to check suspicious offers with the 165 anti-fraud hotline and watch what older relatives see online.
Outlook: Expect more pressure on Taiwan to police investment scams on social media, where slick fake pitches are now catching even trained officials.