Job Scam Bank Account Freeze: 7 Steps to Take in Taiwan

3小时前

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If your bank account was frozen after a job scam in Taiwan, call the bank through its official number, stop moving money for the recruiter, and save the full job and payment records. Ask whether your account was formally designated a warning account (警示帳戶) or restricted for another reason. That distinction matters because it affects who can review or lift the restriction.

💡A fake employer may ask you to collect “customer payments,” exchange currency or buy cryptocurrency using your personal account. If someone reports one of those payments as fraud, you may receive a police interview notice. A restricted account or police notice does not establish that you knowingly helped commit fraud. www.tpc.moj.gov.tw

How Fake Jobs Put Your Bank Account at Risk

Payment processing or currency exchange: A recruiter offers a commission to receive payments in your personal account and forward or convert them. The money may actually come from someone the recruiter has deceived.
Fake identity verification: A supposed employer asks for your ATM card, PIN, online banking password or one-time code. Giving an employer an account number for payroll is different from giving someone the tools to operate your account.
Investment or crypto tasks: A recruiter claims a platform is licensed or approved by Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission, then asks you to make a deposit, receive money or purchase crypto for someone else. A claim in a chat or job ad is not proof of regulatory approval.

Job Scam Bank Account Freeze: 7 Steps to Take

Ask the bank what happened. Confirm which functions are restricted and whether the account is formally listed as a warning account. If another authority reported it, ask for that authority’s name, case reference and contact details, if available.
Secure your account. If you shared an ATM card, password or verification code, tell the bank what you disclosed. Ask how to block unauthorised access and protect your other accounts.
Stop handling funds for the recruiter. Do not withdraw, forward, convert or independently refund a disputed payment. Ask the bank or investigating authority how to handle any money still in the account.
Save the original records. Keep the job ad, recruiter profile, interview messages, contract, bank statements and transfer receipts. Save full conversations, including dates and surrounding messages, rather than relying on selected screenshots.
Make a timeline. Record what the recruiter promised, what account details you shared, who directed each transaction, whether you received any payment and when you first noticed a problem. If you also lost your own money, keep those transfer records.
Respond to any police notice. Verify it through the issuing agency’s official contact details. Confirm whether you are being called as a witness or suspect, and note the date and location. If you cannot attend, ask about rescheduling before the appointment. law.moj.gov.tw
Ask how to request a review of the restriction. For a formal warning account, confirm which authority is handling the designation and what documents it needs. For a bank’s own restriction, ask the bank about its review process. If you also received a formal police warning for providing account access, have that document reviewed separately. law.moj.gov.tw

Can a Job Scam Victim Be Charged With Fraud or Money Laundering?

You can be investigated even if you were deceived. Investigators may look at what you knew when you gave someone access, whether you could still control the account, and whether you later withdrew or transferred money. A deposit can show that money entered your account; by itself, it does not show that you intended to assist fraud or money laundering. The prosecution bears the burden of proving the charge. www.tpc.moj.gov.tw

Providing account access can also raise a separate issue under Article 22 of Taiwan’s Money Laundering Control Act. That provision concerns giving someone else use of a covered account without a legitimate reason. The circumstances of the handover matter, including what the recruiter told you and what access you actually gave them. law.moj.gov.tw

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 : Does a job scam bank account freeze mean I have a criminal record?

No. An account restriction is not a criminal conviction. Ask the bank what kind of restriction applies and whether a police agency or another authority is handling the case.

Q2 : Will a non-prosecution decision automatically unfreeze my account?

Do not assume it will. Ask the bank and the authority handling the restriction whether you need to submit the decision or request a separate review. A criminal investigation, a warning account designation and a formal police warning can involve different procedures.

Q3 : What should I bring to a legal consultation?

Bring the bank notice, any police or prosecutor’s notice, the original job listing, complete messages and transaction statements. If you sent a card or documents, include the delivery records. Legal Consultant can help review the allegations, prepare for questioning and identify the appropriate procedure for requesting a review of the account restriction.

※ This article provides general information about Taiwanese law. The appropriate next step depends on the type of restriction, the official documents and the evidence in your case.