Fraud Falsely Claiming to be Tibetan Temple Staff Offering Religious Ceremonies Prevented in Taitung
Key facts
- Fraud Falsely Claiming to be Tibetan Temple Staff Offering Religious Ceremonies Prevented in Taitung
- A 60-year-old woman in Taitung was almost scammed by someone online claiming to be from a Tibetan temple offering to hold a religious ceremony to improve her luck. Police intervention successfully prevented the money transfer.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: April 9, 2026
Direct answer
A 60-year-old woman in Taitung was almost scammed by someone online claiming to be from a Tibetan temple offering to hold a religious ceremony to improve her luck. Police intervention successfully prevented the money transfer.
- Citation
- Fraud Falsely Claiming to be Tibetan Temple Staff Offering Religious Ceremonies Prevented in Taitung (April 9, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- April 9, 2026
A 60-year-old woman in Taitung was almost scammed by someone online claiming to be from a Tibetan temple offering to hold a religious ceremony to improve her luck. Police intervention successfully prevented the money transfer.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 18:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 19:00 (36 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 10:27 (255h 27m after Collected)
The Guanshan Precinct of the Taitung County Police Bureau issued a press release stating that around 9 AM today, the Chishang Joint Police Station received a fraud consultation case. A 60-year-old woman surnamed Chang mistakenly believed the claims of someone online claiming to be from a Tibetan temple. Fortunately, she noticed something was wrong before transferring the money and went to the police station for consultation, successfully avoiding property loss.
Tsai Hsin-yu, Chief of the Chishang Joint Police Station, said that after Chang browsed religion-related advertisements on a social platform recently, she was actively contacted by an unknown account. The person continuously sent information about Buddhist practices and ceremonies via a messaging app, claiming to be from a "certain temple in Tibet" to create a professional and mysterious image, thereby gradually gaining her trust.
The scammer used a caring tone, saying things like, "No matter what happens, our Buddha and Bodhisattvas will protect you," lowering Chang's guard. Subsequently, the scammer offered to hold a "transcendence ceremony" on her behalf, claiming it would pray for blessings, avert disasters, and improve her luck, but demanded a fee to lure the victim into transferring money.
When the scammer asked for the money transfer, Chang was alarmed by the request to keep it a secret and the suspicious content. She immediately became alert, did not follow the instructions to transfer the funds, and went to the Chishang Joint Police Station for advice. After receiving the case, police officers helped review the conversation logs, determined it to be a typical fraud tactic exploiting religion, and formally logged it as a 165 anti-fraud consultation case, reminding her of future preventive measures.
The Guanshan Police Precinct stated that this type of scam often borrows the name of religion and uses rhetoric of care and enlightenment to gain trust, ultimately inducing money transfers. It is one of the common fraud tactics seen in recent years. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150409
Tsai Hsin-yu, Chief of the Chishang Joint Police Station, said that after Chang browsed religion-related advertisements on a social platform recently, she was actively contacted by an unknown account. The person continuously sent information about Buddhist practices and ceremonies via a messaging app, claiming to be from a "certain temple in Tibet" to create a professional and mysterious image, thereby gradually gaining her trust.
The scammer used a caring tone, saying things like, "No matter what happens, our Buddha and Bodhisattvas will protect you," lowering Chang's guard. Subsequently, the scammer offered to hold a "transcendence ceremony" on her behalf, claiming it would pray for blessings, avert disasters, and improve her luck, but demanded a fee to lure the victim into transferring money.
When the scammer asked for the money transfer, Chang was alarmed by the request to keep it a secret and the suspicious content. She immediately became alert, did not follow the instructions to transfer the funds, and went to the Chishang Joint Police Station for advice. After receiving the case, police officers helped review the conversation logs, determined it to be a typical fraud tactic exploiting religion, and formally logged it as a 165 anti-fraud consultation case, reminding her of future preventive measures.
The Guanshan Police Precinct stated that this type of scam often borrows the name of religion and uses rhetoric of care and enlightenment to gain trust, ultimately inducing money transfers. It is one of the common fraud tactics seen in recent years. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150409
FAQ
What is the fraud method in this case?
Pretending to be a Tibetan temple official on social media, gaining trust through daily care, and then requesting money transfers by claiming to 'conduct a religious ceremony to improve fortune'.
How did the victim realize it was a scam?
The victim became suspicious when the scammer asked to keep the transfer a secret, and consulted the police before sending any money.
What are the countermeasures against such scams?
Do not respond to requests for money transfers made under the pretext of religion or prayer, and immediately consult 165 (anti-fraud hotline) or the police.