Center warns about scams ahead of Matsu pilgrimageWARNING: Scammers sometimes pretend to be bank personnel calling the buyers and asking them to send their ATM cards or passbooks, the anti-fraud center saidBy Chen Yu-fu and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Executive Yuan’s Anti-Fraud Command Center yesterday cautioned the public ahead of the Baishatun Matsu pilgrimage against scams disguised as trade in Matsu-blessed items, cheap produce or rice cookers. This year’s pilgrimage, widely recognized as Taiwan’s longest religious procession on foot, is to begin on Sunday. The center said people should be cautious when online sellers say that identity or payment verification has failed and ask the customer to add their Line or contact online customer services. The scam method has recently been rampant on Facebook and Threads, the center said, adding that online shopping scams on both platforms amounted to 4,490 cases last month, making up 87.66 percent of online shopping scams. Scammers selling goods on social media would ask buyers to communicate via Facebook Messenger or Line and provide a link of 7-Eleven or FamilyMart shipping services, the center said.

Source: Taipei Times April 06, 2026 17:46 UTC