Elderly man nearly loses $560 in 'diplomat' gift scam after meeting stranger on Douyin

A 75-year-old man in Taiwan narrowly avoided a significant financial loss after falling victim to an online romance scam. The man was nearly defrauded of NT$18,000 (approximately $560 USD) when a scammer, posing as a diplomat, instructed him to purchase game point cards.

The elderly man met the scammer on the social media platform Douyin (TikTok). The imposter claimed they were sending him a valuable gift but needed the man to pay customs fees and taxes by purchasing game point cards. The scammer specifically directed the man to a convenience store in Changhua City to make the purchase.

Fortunately, a sharp-eyed convenience store clerk became suspicious when the elderly man attempted to buy a large quantity of game point cards. Recognizing this as a potential scam, the clerk immediately contacted the police. Officers from the Dazhu Police Station arrived promptly at the scene.

Upon investigation, the police explained to the man that this was a common "fake friend, fake diplomat" scam. They presented similar recent cases, which helped the man realize he was being targeted by a fraud group. He subsequently abandoned the purchase, successfully protecting his savings.