Call forwarding scams in Taiwan: 7 Safety Steps

Call forwarding scams in Taiwan can divert incoming voice calls to a fraudster while other stolen information is used to target bank, credit-card, or securities accounts. If someone posing as a police officer asks you to enter a code beginning with **21*, install an unfamiliar app, or disclose financial passwords, stop and verify the request independently.

💡The danger is the combination of access: a convincing story, compromised financial credentials, and redirected verification calls. A telephone setting alone does not automatically give a criminal control of every financial service.

➠This guide explains the reported scheme, the relevant legal issues, and the practical steps victims can take.

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1. Call forwarding scams in Taiwan: what does the code actually do?

Chunghwa Telecom lists a mobile service setting beginning with **21* for unconditional forwarding to a designated telephone number. Its operation depends on the complete command, successful activation, and the carrier’s service conditions. 中華電信網路門市 CHT.com.tw

The prefix alone is not proof that forwarding has been activated. Merely reading it in a message does not activate the service.Call forwarding is a legitimate telecommunications function. The fraud occurs when someone deceives you into redirecting calls to a number they control.

Ordinary voice-call forwarding should not be confused with SMS forwarding, access to a messaging account, or control of the phone’s operating system. Those require separate examination. Apple’s safety guidance likewise treats call forwarding and text-message forwarding as separate settings. Apple Support

➠However, a bank’s voice verification call may be redirected if the relevant forwarding is active. Whether a criminal can complete a transaction still depends on the institution’s verification process and any other access obtained.

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2. Understand the reported financial takeover

In a case reported by Taiwan’s Central News Agency on May 9, 2026, a victim was contacted by people impersonating hospital staff, police, and a court clerk. He was induced to disclose information, obtain a new phone, install an app, link payment cards, and set up forwarding.

Reported losses reached approximately NT$3.66 million, including unauthorized card transactions and proceeds from sold securities. These are reported allegations and losses, not findings from a judgment reviewed for this article. 中央社 CNA

🚨This public incident is not presented as a case handled by Chien Sheng International Law Firm.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau warns against instructions to download unknown apps, bind credit cards, or enable forwarding as part of a supposed investigation. Its warning identifies a combined attack on communications and financial verification. cib.npa.gov.tw

🔎Be especially cautious when a caller says:

• Your identity was used to obtain controlled medication.
• You must prove that you are not involved in money laundering.
• The investigation requires a new phone or an unfamiliar app.
• You must disclose banking or securities passwords.
• You must keep the process secret from family or bank staff.

A caller’s title, displayed number, or document sent through a chat app does not independently establish official authority.

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3. Restore communications and secure financial access

If you have already followed suspicious instructions, act promptly. Do not wait for the next statement or another call from the supposed investigator.

▫️Contact the carrier independently  

Ask whether forwarding is active on the affected number and request assistance disabling unauthorized settings. Ask how to verify that incoming calls reach you again.Do not test additional codes supplied by the suspected scammer. Removing an app may not reverse a network-level forwarding setting.

▫️Notify each affected financial institution  

Use a trusted device or another safe communication channel. Tell your bank, card issuer, and securities firm that communications and credentials may have been compromised.

👨🏻‍⚖️Ask about:

• Blocking affected cards and digital-wallet tokens.
• Restricting suspicious transfers or withdrawals.
• Securing online access and registered devices.
• Checking securities orders, settlement funds, and withdrawal instructions.
• Recording formal transaction disputes and obtaining reference numbers.

Ask what can still be stopped or traced; do not assume a completed transaction can be reversed.

▫️Secure the device without unnecessarily destroying evidence  

Do not continue entering passwords on a device that may be compromised. Obtain trusted technical assistance and ask the investigating authority about preserving relevant evidence before a factory reset.Changing passwords alone may leave active sessions, linked devices, or payment tokens unaddressed. Ask each provider what needs to be revoked or replaced.

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4. Identify the possible offenses without assuming one label fits every transaction

⚠️“Financial takeover” describes a method, rather than a single standalone offense.

▫️Fraud under Criminal Code Article 339   

Deceiving someone into delivering property or providing an unlawful financial benefit may engage Article 339. The provision includes punishment for attempts. law.moj.gov.tw

➥Its application requires attention to the deception, the person induced to act, the disposal of property, and the resulting loss or benefit.Disclosure of a password alone does not establish every element of a completed property offense.

▫️Aggravated fraud under Article 339-4   

Relevant circumstances include impersonating a government agency or public official and joint commission by three or more people.

Article 339-4 provides imprisonment of one to seven years and a possible fine of up to NT$1 million; attempts are also punishable. law.moj.gov.tw

➥A private message or internet call does not automatically satisfy the separate ground concerning dissemination to the public. Nor does the mere existence of several telephone numbers prove three joint offenders.

▫️Computer-related transactions   

Where unauthorized computer inputs alter property records and obtain property or financial benefits, Article 339-3 may require examination. law.moj.gov.tw

➥Accordingly, unauthorized securities transactions or electronic transfers should not automatically be classified solely as ordinary fraud. Other offenses and special legislation may also apply.Investigators must examine the actual transaction structure, technical evidence, participants, and law applicable to the conduct date.

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5. Preserve the evidence linking the deception to the loss

A useful evidence package connects what the criminals requested with the settings changed and transactions made.

Organize:

• The first suspicious call and the identities claimed.
• Complete chat histories, voice messages, and supplied documents.
• Telephone numbers, account profiles, app names, and download links.
• The approximate time forwarding or other access was enabled.
• Card transactions, bank transfers, securities orders, and withdrawals.
• Alerts, verification messages, and communications with service providers.
• Reporting records and institutional complaint references.

➥Ask the carrier and financial institutions to preserve relevant records. Some data may require a request from investigators or a court, and its availability may be limited.Record what you know without guessing. Distinguish a transaction you personally authorized from one you discovered afterward, even if both arose from the same deception.

🚨Preserve screenshots and originals where available. Avoid reopening suspicious links merely to collect more information.

6. Pursue transaction disputes and compensation separately from reporting

Reporting the crime is important, but it does not automatically reverse card charges, restore securities holdings, or establish that a financial institution must reimburse every loss.

Notify the relevant provider promptly and ask for:

• The procedure and deadline for disputing each transaction.
• The documents needed to investigate authorization.
• Written acknowledgment of your complaint.
• Available transaction, authentication, and contact records.
• Its written decision and applicable review options.

Liability may depend on the agreement, authentication process, timing of notice, security measures, and evidence about who performed the operation.

Neither “the correct password was used” nor “I was deceived” should replace examination of the full facts.

A lawyer can assess potential claims against identified offenders and, where supported, issues concerning financial-service providers. Compensation and asset-recovery options depend on locating defendants, establishing liability, and finding recoverable assets.

➥Be wary of anyone promising guaranteed recovery in exchange for advance payments.

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7. Obtain legal assistance focused on the incident

Chien Sheng International Law Firm can assist with organizing the sequence of events, preparing a criminal complaint, presenting evidence, and assessing related civil or financial disputes.

👨🏻‍⚖️Depending on the agreed scope, assistance may include:

• Separating the initial deception from later unauthorized transactions.
• Identifying records that should be preserved.
• Preparing explanations for police or prosecutorial questioning.
• Reviewing responses from banks, card issuers, or securities firms.
• Assessing appropriate claims and procedural applications.

➥For further information about the firm’s work, visit its fraud-related case collection. Those cases are separate matters and do not predict the outcome of this type of incident.

➥To discuss an individual case, contact Chien Sheng International Law Firm with the communications, transaction records, institutional correspondence, and a concise timeline.

➥Legal representation cannot guarantee reimbursement, prosecution, or recovery of stolen funds.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Call forwarding scams in Taiwan: does entering the prefix alone transfer all my calls?

Not necessarily. Activation depends on the complete command, carrier, and successful setup. Ask your carrier to confirm the actual status rather than relying on the prefix alone.

Q2. Does voice-call forwarding also redirect my SMS verification codes?

Ordinary voice forwarding is not the same as SMS forwarding. If messages or app accounts may also be compromised, have those checked separately.

Q3. Will deleting the unfamiliar app solve the problem?

Not necessarily. Carrier-level forwarding, linked payment cards, registered devices, and compromised credentials may each require separate action.

Q4. Is everyone who supplied a telephone number or account automatically a fraud accomplice?

No. Criminal responsibility depends on the conduct and legal requirements of the alleged offense, including the required mental element. Separate account-provision rules may also need assessment.

Q5. Will my bank necessarily reimburse unauthorized transactions?

No automatic outcome can be promised. Report promptly and use the applicable dispute procedure so authorization, security records, and responsibility can be investigated.

Q6. Is the reported incident a case handled by the firm?

No. It is included as a public example based on news reporting and an official police warning.

 

※ This article provides general information about Taiwan law based on sources checked on October 21, 2026. Technical settings, financial procedures, and legal outcomes depend on the service, evidence, and individual circumstances.

 

References and Further Reading🔍

• Criminal Investigation Bureau: warning about call diversion and financial-account takeover.
• Central News Agency: reported impersonation and unauthorized-transaction case.
• Chunghwa Telecom: mobile call-forwarding service.
• Apple Personal Safety Guide: review forwarding settings.
• Taiwan Criminal Code, Article 339.
• Taiwan Criminal Code, Article 339-4.
• Taiwan Criminal Code, Article 339-3

 

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