Taiwan's Yunlin County police are warning that shame and panic are helping scammers get away — bad news for victims who delete their tracks, good news for anyone who reports in time.

• A senior Yunlin county government official was scammed out of NT$1.37 million, showing how far the fraud rings now reach.
• Many victims delete chat records and payment proof out of embarrassment, destroying the evidence police need.
• Waiting to report also blows the short window when banks and police can still freeze and block the money.
• Police put it bluntly: being scammed is not shameful, the scammers are the ones at fault.
• Families are told to watch for elderly relatives making big withdrawals, taking out loans, or joining strange investment chat groups — and to help them check rather than scold them.

Outlook: Expect more public pressure campaigns in Taiwan pushing the same message: verify before investing, stop before handing over money, and report immediately.