Fake Instagram Friends Scam Nearly 200 Students in Taiwan, Turning Phones into "Game ATMs"

A sophisticated scam targeting students in Taiwan has resulted in nearly 200 young victims losing money after being tricked into revealing mobile verification codes. The fraudsters operate on Instagram, creating fake accounts that closely resemble those of the victims' real friends. They then concoct urgent scenarios, falsely claiming their phones are locked and pleading for help to receive SMS messages on the victim's number.

Once the unsuspecting students provide their phone numbers and the verification codes, the scammers immediately use them for small-sum payments. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has identified a consistent charge of NT$4,078 per victim. This amount corresponds precisely to the price of a 12-month premium membership for PlayStation Plus, Sony's gaming service. The acquired virtual codes are then easily sold internationally, making recovery of funds extremely difficult for the victims.

According to CIB analysis, junior high school students constitute the largest group of victims at 35%, followed by high school students at 30%. University and elementary school students make up 25% and 10%, respectively. The CIB is urging the public, especially young people, to understand that verification codes are equivalent to "payment authorization" and should never be shared with anyone.

Authorities are also advising parents to regularly review their children's mobile phone spending limits and consider requesting their telecom providers to disable the small-sum payment function altogether. If any suspicious charges are detected, individuals should immediately report the incident to the police and contact their telecommunications company. The CIB is working with telecom operators to develop preventative measures to reduce the risk of such fraud.

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Verification codes are equivalent to 'payment authorization' and should absolutely not be provided to others.