Elderly Man, Freed from Stock Losses, Nearly Invests NT$3M in Private Bond Scam; Taichung Police and Bank Intervene

(CNA, reporter Su Mu-chun, Taichung, June 10) An elderly man in his eighties in Taichung recently had his long-held, money-losing stocks break even. Following a friend's recommendation for a "private placement corporate bond" investment, he went to a bank to transfer NT$3 million. However, when the bank teller inquired about the company's information, the man was unable to explain. The teller reported the incident, and police successfully intervened to prevent the fraud, averting a financial loss.

The Taichung City Police Department's First Precinct stated today that its Minquan-Dajia police station received a report from a local bank around 1 p.m. on a recent day, stating that a customer intending to transfer a large sum of money was suspected of being a victim of an investment scam, and requested police assistance.

Upon arriving, police learned that the man, approximately eighty years old, explained that his long-stuck stocks had finally broken even, and he was seeking a more stable investment. A friend had introduced him to an investment in "private placement corporate bonds," claiming that an investment of NT$3 million would yield a stable 4% interest annually.

When the man went to the bank that day to process the transfer, he told the teller he wished to invest in "private placement corporate bonds" but could not clearly explain the investment company's background, business operations, or investment model. The teller suspected the man might be falling for a scam and immediately notified the police to assist.

The police confirmed it was a fake investment scheme commonly used by fraud rings. After they cited similar scam cases to the man, he immediately abandoned the idea of transferring the money, successfully preventing a financial loss. He expressed his gratitude to both the police and the bank teller. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150610