Yunlin ethics chief loses NT$1.37 million to investment scam

Aug 22, 2026

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.

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