A total of 218 Malaysians have been detained in Taiwan for their alleged involvement in scam syndicates, according to the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre (MFTC) in Taipei as of July 9. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan revealed that out of the total, 165 are still awaiting court proceedings while 53 have already been sentenced to jail terms ranging from six months to one year.
These individuals were reportedly lured through social media by fake job offers or “work and travel” packages that promised salaries of up to RM10,000 a month. However, upon arriving in Taiwan, their passports and phones were confiscated by syndicate handlers.
According to Mohamad, the victims were then forced to work as “money mules,” either collecting cash from scam victims at specific locations or withdrawing funds from ATMs using bank cards provided by the syndicate. They were instructed to hand over the money to the syndicate, a role which is considered a criminal offence under Taiwanese law and punishable by imprisonment and fines.
Mohamad stressed that the government views the involvement of Malaysians in overseas scam operations very seriously, especially with the growing number of detentions in Taiwan. To address the issue, the Foreign Ministry has teamed up with the Communications Ministry to launch awareness campaigns via television tickers and public service announcements on radio to warn the public against falling for such scams.
