A TOTAL of 218 Malaysians have been detained in Taiwan for their involvement in scam syndicates, according to data shared by the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre (MFTC) in Taipei as of 9 July.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that of those detained, 165 individuals are currently awaiting trial, while 53 others have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to one year.
“This group is typically lured by lucrative job offers or 'work while travelling' packages advertised on social media platforms, with promised monthly salaries of up to RM10,000,” he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat.
Mohamad was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN–Pekan), who inquired about reports of Malaysian influencers detained in Taiwan in December 2024 for financial scam offences. The MP also asked about the syndicates’ modus operandi, the total number of related cases, and the actions taken by the ministry.
Elaborating on the typical scam pattern, Mohamad said victims’ passports and mobile phones are confiscated upon arrival in Taiwan. The individuals are then coerced into becoming money mules—tasked with collecting cash from scam victims or withdrawing funds from ATMs using bank cards provided by the syndicates.
“These money mules are then instructed to hand over the cash to the syndicate in Taiwan. Such activities constitute criminal fraud under Taiwanese law and are punishable by imprisonment and fines,” he explained.
The minister stressed that the government takes the issue of Malaysian citizens’ involvement in overseas financial crime very seriously, particularly with the rising number of arrests in Taiwan.
To combat the problem, Mohamad said the Foreign Ministry has launched an awareness campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications. Public service announcements and ‘crawler’ warnings are now being broadcast via television and radio to alert Malaysians about such deceptive job offers.
“The aim is to prevent further exploitation of Malaysians by syndicates operating abroad,” he added. - July 26, 2025
