Policies to combat fraud have reduced scams and removed e-commerce platforms from the government’s high-risk watchlist for personal data leaks, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday.
The policies include the 111 text message platform, which commenced trials in September to allow the public to confirm the authenticity of messages from government agencies.
Since the trial began, 80,111 messages have been sent, the ministry said, adding that the platform would be expanded to include local government agencies.
Photo: CNA
Efforts are also ongoing to replace names and telephone numbers on packages with a more secure code to prevent scammers from using the information for phishing or other forms of fraud, it said.
Logistics companies would receive a one-time code to deliver goods, with the codes to become invalid after delivery, Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang (唐鳳) told Radio Taiwan International after the event.
Many e-commerce platforms have introduced the technology and hopefully all of them would, the ministry said.
Momo, friDay and Books.com.tw are already using such systems, while Eastern Home Shopping & Leisure, PChome and Coupang are conducting trials, it said.
Yahoo and Shopee are in talks with the ministry on integrating the policy, it added.
The National Police Agency said that reported leakage of personal information from e-commerce platforms have dropped from 17 a month to single-digit numbers, while no significant e-commerce platform has been on its watchlist since late September.
However, some smaller platforms are yet to introduce the code system, so there might be a spike in fraud during Singles’ Day shopping on Saturday, Tang said, adding that this was an opportunity for the government to introduce the technology to more companies.
Reports of fraud on online gaming platforms have dropped from 1,600 cases in March to about 200 last month, the ministry said.
Separately, the National Communications Commission (NCC) reported to the Executive Yuan the results of its international fraud call intercept and warning strategy.
The commission said it began intercepting fraudulent calls with numbers beginning with +886-8 in May and calls starting with +886-9 last month.
International calls were the most commonly used for fraud, the commission said, advising the public to be alert if they answer an international call.
The NCC said it has asked telecoms to play a recorded warning message before a recipient is connected with an international call, with Chunghwa Telecom sending a warning message for every international phone call and other providers playing a warning message for calls from numbers starting with +886-9.
Since implementing the system, the NCC said there have been 19.52 million fewer international calls last month compared with August, demonstrating its effectiveness.
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