Fraud group uses fake loans to trick victims into handing over ATM cards; 3 Vietnamese nationals arrested and charged

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (CNA) -- Three individuals, including a Vietnamese national surnamed Pan, have been arrested and charged with fraud for their involvement in a scheme where a criminal group used fake loan offers to trick victims into sending their ATM cards to convenience stores, from where the group’s members would collect them. The police have apprehended Pan and two others and sent them for prosecution, with the district prosecutor’s office recently indicting them in accordance with the law.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Taichung City Police Department announced today that its First Investigation Corps arrested two members of a fraud ring, a 42-year-old surnamed Chen and a 39-year-old surnamed Luo, late last year. Through further investigation, it was discovered that they were acting under the direction of a 36-year-old Vietnamese national surnamed Pan, who served as an upper-level member of the group. The police continued to monitor and gather evidence.

On January 12 of this year, the police intercepted Pan as he was leaving a public cemetery in Changhua County after collecting ATM cards from individuals acting as fronts for the group. They apprehended him and seized 12 ATM cards, collection bags, a mobile phone, and over NT$7,000 in cash as evidence of the crime.

The police investigation revealed that the fraud group initially used the pretext of "fake loans" to trick victims into handing over their bank ATM cards. They then instructed the victims to mail the cards to designated convenience store branches. Subsequently, individuals were hired with high rewards to collect the cards, which were then handed over in remote public cemeteries according to the fraud group’s instructions to create a break in the chain of evidence, before being passed up through various levels to core members of the organization.

Furthermore, the police discovered that Pan, a Vietnamese migrant worker, had joined the fraud ring through an introduction by a fellow countryman during his 60-day period to find a new employer after terminating his contract with his previous employer. He was apprehended by the police during the operation. Following the investigation, Pan and the other two individuals were transferred to the Taiwan Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office for investigation on charges including aggravated fraud, organized crime prevention, and money laundering. The prosecutor’s office has since indicted them in accordance with the law. (Edited by Long Po-an) 1150709

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