Published: 2026/5/22 12:34 Updated: 2026/5/22 15:08
Wang Rou-ting, Xu Zheng-jun, Xu Meng-yi / Local Report
Pingtung police cracked two fraud cases and arrested the money mules who appeared to withdraw money. However, the two men, aged 59 and 68 respectively, are significantly older than those arrested in the past. Scholars speculate that the elderly either had financial needs or had been scammed before and were trying to recoup their losses by earning high rewards. The government is urged to be vigilant. Previously, fraud gangs targeted young people under 18, luring them into becoming money mules. The concept of disposable chopsticks may be replicated with the elderly. In addition to educating the elderly about fraud prevention, it is also necessary to strengthen their legal awareness.
Leaning on a cane, the elderly man walked into the police station. He was there to give a statement because he had been arrested as a money mule. Besides this elderly man, police also apprehended another 59-year-old male money mule who had NT$470,000 in cash on him at the time of his arrest. Pingtung County Jianguo Police Station Chief Yen Ming-cheng stated, “The suspects were directed by a fraud ring, using encrypted communication software to contact victims and traveling across counties to withdraw money.”
From the beginning of this year (2026) to the end of April, Kaohsiung police arrested 36 individuals aged 65 and above who were involved in illegal money laundering schemes. Statistics from the National Police Agency from January to April last year show that nearly 13,000 such schemes were arrested nationwide, with the majority aged 12 to 17. While the proportion of those aged 65 and above was the lowest, it still accounted for 15%.
Wang Po-Chi, associate professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University, analyzed, “According to the relevant evaluations in the Criminal Law, if someone is older, they may receive a lighter sentence because of their leniency. I think this is one of the reasons why some fraud groups accurately target the young or the old.”
According to statistics from the National Police Agency from January to April last year, nearly 13,000 such fraud cases were uncovered nationwide, with the majority of suspects aged between 12 and 17. Although the proportion of those over 65 was the lowest, they still accounted for 15%.
Scholars believe that the increase in the number of elderly race car drivers may be due to economic needs or a desire to recoup losses from scams. However, fraud groups may be replicating the concept of race car drivers using disposable chopsticks among the elderly.