Fraud and Money Laundering Summons in Taiwan: 7 Steps

A fraud and money laundering summons does not mean you have been found guilty. Start by verifying who issued the document, whether you are being called as a suspect, defendant, or witness, and when you must appear. Then preserve the records that show what happened. If the investigation concerns a bank account you let someone use, the key questions are what access you gave them, what you did with any funds, and what you knew at the time. law.moj.gov.tw

⚠️This guide from Taoyuan criminal defense lawyer Wang Sheng-jie (王聖傑), managing attorney at Chien Sheng International Law Firm, explains how to prepare for a police interview or prosecutor’s questioning in Taiwan. chiensheng.com

1. Fraud and Money Laundering Summons: Identify Who Issued It

A police interview notice, a prosecutor’s summons, and a court summons are different documents. Check the issuing agency, case reference, date, time, location, and the capacity in which you are being asked to appear. If your status is unclear, call the issuing office to confirm it before the appointment.

➠Under Article 71-1 of Taiwan’s Code of Criminal Procedure, police may issue a written notice requiring a suspect to appear for questioning. If a suspect fails to appear without a valid reason after lawful notice, police may ask a prosecutor to issue a warrant. A defendant who fails to appear without a valid reason after being lawfully summoned by a prosecutor or court may also be brought in under a warrant. If illness, hospitalization, or another serious conflict prevents you from attending, contact the issuing office promptly, ask what documentation it needs, and confirm whether your appointment has actually been changed. law.moj.gov.tw

2. Verify the Notice Before Sharing Personal Information

If someone claiming to be a police officer or prosecutor asks you to add them on LINE for a video interview, transfer money, or provide a banking password or one-time verification code, do not follow those instructions. Find the agency’s number on its official website and call it directly. Ask whether the notice is genuine and whether the office can confirm the case reference and appointment. 謙聖刑事律師

➠An appointment outside Taoyuan does not, by itself, make the notice invalid. Account-related investigations and cases involving ATM withdrawals or in-person cash collections can be assigned to different police units. Article 5 of the Code of Criminal Procedure governs court jurisdiction; it does not, by itself, determine where police must interview you. If travel is difficult, ask the assigned officer whether another arrangement is possible and keep the original appointment unless the agency confirms a change. 謙聖刑事律師

3. Build a Timeline From Original Records

Start with the first contact. Was it a job offer, a loan application, an investment pitch, or a request from someone you knew? Write down what the other person said the account or payment was for, what you shared or did, and when you first noticed anything unusual. Separate what you knew at the time from what you learned later from the bank or police.

Keep the original notice, complete chats, job or loan advertisements, contracts, bank statements, transfer records, and any reports you made to the bank or police. Keep messages in context, with timestamps and account details where available. If someone may still have access to your account, contact the bank promptly to secure it and keep a record of the call or report. 謙聖刑事律師

⚠️A useful timeline might show when you received a job offer, when you shared an account number, when an unfamiliar deposit appeared, and when you contacted the bank. If a date or amount is uncertain, mark it for verification. Preserve original records and avoid asking anyone to coordinate their account of events.

4. Know Your Rights Before the Police Interview

Under Articles 95 and 100-2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, police questioning a suspect must inform the person of the suspected offense and applicable rights, including the right to remain silent, retain defense counsel, and request investigation of favorable evidence. Under Article 245, defense counsel can generally attend questioning, take notes, and state their views, subject to statutory exceptions. Witnesses have different obligations and protections, including a right to refuse testimony in certain circumstances involving self-incrimination. law.moj.gov.tw

➠If you choose to answer, say when you do not remember a detail or need to check a record. For example, if asked for the exact time of a transfer, you can say you need to check your bank statement. Before signing the interview record, read it carefully. Ask for corrections if it leaves out a qualification, misstates your answer, or presents something you learned later as something you already knew.

5. Distinguish Sharing an Account Number From Giving Someone Account Access

Giving someone an account number so they can pay you raises different questions from handing over a debit card, PIN, or online banking credentials. In an account case, establish exactly what was shared, who controlled the account, whether anyone else could move the funds, and what explanation you were given. A deposit shows that money arrived; it does not, by itself, explain who controlled the account or what the account holder knew. 謙聖刑事律師

Article 22 of Taiwan’s Money Laundering Control Act separately regulates making accounts available to others. It recognizes exceptions for ordinary business or financial practices, trust-based arrangements between friends or relatives, and other justifiable reasons. Whether an exception applies depends on the facts. A violation can lead to a police warning, and specified circumstances can trigger criminal liability, including providing accounts for compensation, providing three or more accounts, or repeating the conduct within five years after a warning. Fraud and money laundering allegations must still be assessed under their own legal requirements. law.moj.gov.tw

6. If You Withdrew or Collected Cash, Document Your Actual Role

If the case involves ATM withdrawals, in-person cash collection, or onward transfers, identify which transactions you personally handled, who instructed you, what explanation you received, and whether compensation was promised or paid. A person who supplied account information and a person who personally collected or transferred cash may face different factual allegations, even in the same investigation. 謙聖刑事律師

Receiving no payment can be relevant, but it does not resolve every allegation. Compare the actual instructions, transaction records, and your actions at the time. That comparison helps distinguish what the records establish from what investigators still need to prove. law.moj.gov.tw

7. Get Case-Specific Help Before Your Appointment

If you consult a lawyer, bring the complete notice, a short timeline, and the original records you already have. Flag any immediate issues, such as a restricted bank account, a separate police warning, or notices from more than one agency. That gives counsel a basis to discuss your procedural status, review the evidence, and assess whether attending the interview with you or submitting a written explanation would help.

👨🏻‍⚖️Chien Sheng International Law Firm handles criminal defense matters involving fraud, money laundering, flagged bank accounts, and cash collection in Taoyuan. Visit the firm’s Taoyuan office and attorney information for contact details. chiensheng.com

▪️Further reading from Chien Sheng: Preparing for a police interview in Taiwan.

▪️Official sources: Taiwan’s Code of Criminal Procedure and the Money Laundering Control Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What should I do first if I receive a fraud and money laundering summons?

Verify the issuing agency through its published contact details. Confirm your status and appointment, then preserve the notice, complete messages, and transaction records. If you cannot attend, ask the issuing office how to request a new date. 謙聖刑事律師

Q2: Can a lawyer come with me to the police station?

If you are being questioned as a suspect, you may retain defense counsel. Counsel can generally attend, take notes, and state their views, subject to statutory exceptions. Confirm whether you are being interviewed as a suspect or as a witness, because the applicable rules differ. law.moj.gov.tw

Q3: Can I be investigated if I lent my account to a friend but earned nothing?

Yes. Lack of payment may be relevant, but it does not prevent an investigation. The facts still matter: what access you gave your friend, why you gave it, what happened to the funds, and what you knew. Whether a trust-based or other justifiable reason applies under Article 22 depends on the circumstances. law.moj.gov.tw

Q4: Does a police notice mean I have already been charged?

No. A police notice can be issued to gather information during an investigation. A prosecutor’s summons can also be issued before any indictment. Read the document to identify its purpose and confirm your status with the issuing office. law.moj.gov.tw

※ This article provides general information about Taiwan law. The applicable procedure and legal assessment depend on the facts of each case.

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