Online girlfriend's 'fractured leg' scam foiled; man saved NT$300,000

A 51-year-old man in Changhua narrowly avoided losing NT$300,000 after falling victim to an online romance scam. He was at a bank attempting to withdraw the sum to help his online girlfriend, who claimed to have suffered a fractured leg in a traffic accident and needed money for nursing care and a new mobile phone.

Bank tellers noticed the man's nervous demeanor and the unusual transaction, prompting them to contact the police. Officers arrived at the scene and reviewed the man's LINE chat history, which revealed conversations with a woman using the nickname "Liang X-Tong." The couple had reportedly developed a relationship quickly after meeting online.

Police immediately identified the situation as a classic "fake dating, real scam" operation, a common tactic used by fraud rings. They explained to the man how scammers build emotional connections online and then fabricate emergencies, such as illnesses, injuries, or family crises, to extort money. The man was initially disbelieving that his online girlfriend was part of a scam.

After the police patiently explained the modus operandi and presented similar cases, the man finally realized he was being deceived. He promptly canceled the policy withdrawal and the planned remittance, successfully protecting his hard-earned savings from the fraudsters. The man expressed his anger at the scammers for their deceitful actions.