Elderly Man Foiled in Attempt to Buy 'Miracle Cream' After Police Expose Online Scam

An elderly man in Taipei narrowly avoided falling victim to an online scam after being misled by a fraudulent advertisement for a "miracle anti-wrinkle cream." The 72-year-old, identified by his surname Cai, was convinced by social media ads featuring a celebrity TCM doctor and the name of a well-known traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Wenshan District.

Convinced by the advertisement, Cai visited the clinic in person to purchase the product. However, clinic staff informed him that they had never sold such a cream and had not authorized any such advertisement. This news caused Cai to become extremely agitated, believing the clinic was deliberately withholding the product and shouting at the staff.

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The scam group often impersonates famous doctors, celebrities, well-known institutions or brands to sell counterfeit products, and even fabricates exaggerated efficacy testimonials. If you accidentally click and fill in your credit card information, your hard-earned money will be lost.

Police from the Wenshan Second Precinct's Wansheng Police Station responded to the clinic's report of a disturbance. Officers arrived, calmed the distressed elderly man, and listened to his account. Upon examining the link on Cai's mobile phone, officers discovered that the seemingly legitimate webpage was a fake, one-page scam site linked to an overseas shopping platform. The advertisement had clearly misappropriated the likeness of a famous doctor and the clinic's name.

Officers explained to Cai how scammers often impersonate famous doctors, celebrities, or reputable institutions to sell counterfeit goods, fabricating exaggerated testimonials. They warned that clicking such links and entering credit card information could lead to the loss of savings. Realizing he had almost been defrauded, Cai expressed his gratitude to the police. He reflected that his unfamiliarity with online shopping and decision to visit the clinic in person had inadvertently protected his savings.

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Fortunately, I am not familiar with the online shopping process and cannot use my phone to place an order, so I decided to come in person. I didn't expect this 'inconvenience' to become the safest protective net, saving my thousands of savings.