The Ministry of Justice's "Online Scam Reporting and Inquiry Website" has been delayed until December, with app development costs reaching 13 million NT dollars.

According to CNA, the Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee recently raised concerns about the progress of the "Internet Fraud Report and Inquiry Website" initiated by the Digital Development Department. The project, originally scheduled to go live at the end of August, has not been officially launched yet. Minister of Digital Development, Huang Yen-nan, stated that the online reporting platform is expected to be officially launched in December. Currently, the test version of the mobile app has been downloaded and used by approximately 2,000 people, with development costs amounting to around NT$13 million.

Legislative Yuan Report: Progress on Combating Fraud Questioned

The Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee invited several officials, including Minister of the National Development Council Huang Yan-nan, Acting Chairperson of the National Communications Commission (NCC) Weng Po-chung, representatives from the Executive Yuan's Anti-Fraud Command Center, Ministry of Justice, National Police Agency under the Ministry of the Interior, and the Financial Supervisory Commission, to give a special report on "Taiwan's effectiveness in combating fraud and prevention" and to answer questions.

Legislator Questions Delay in Launching Platform by End of August

Kuomintang legislator Huang Chien-hao pointed out that the National Development Council had previously announced that the online fraud reporting and inquiry website would be launched by the end of August. However, it is now October, and the platform has yet to be officially launched, raising questions about any delays in progress. He also mentioned that many colleagues in the Legislative Yuan had already downloaded the beta version of the app but found the reporting process not user-friendly. Additionally, Huang Chien-hao noted that when attempting to search for related keywords on Google, he did not find the official website of the reporting and inquiry platform.

In response, Huang Yan-nan stated that the app is currently in the testing phase, mainly collecting user feedback. Due to the severity of investment fraud in current fraud cases, fake invoice payment fraud and online dating scams are also common. Therefore, the National Development Council hopes to optimize the reporting function through testing and plans to officially launch it in December.

Improving Search Visibility: Website SEO Enhancements in Progress

In response to concerns about the search ranking of the online fraud reporting and inquiry website on Google, officials from the National Development Council stated that the website can currently be found on Google but ranks lower. They will continue to optimize SEO to improve search rankings and make it easier for the public to find the platform's official website.

App Development Budget of 13 Million, Improvement Needed in Holiday Reporting Mechanism

Kuomintang legislator Liao Hsien-hsiang expressed concerns about the development cost and launch status of the app and inquired about whether the system could handle and assist in taking down fraudulent online advertisements promptly during holidays when the public reports them.

Huang Yan-nan mentioned that the previously released version was a beta testing version and adjustments would continue based on test results to effectively handle public fraud reports even during holidays. Coordination with various ministries is ongoing to ensure timely handling of fraud issues during holidays.

Lin Chun-hsiu, Deputy Director of the Digital Industries Department at the National Development Council, added that the development cost of the app is approximately 13 million NT dollars, covering not only the app itself but also subsequent reporting reception, customer service, and other related operational mechanisms.

Budget Allocation of 58 Million Next Year to Enhance Fraud Reporting System

According to the budget plan of the National Development Council, to further strengthen the functionality and operation of the online fraud reporting and inquiry website, a budget of 58 million NT dollars will be allocated next year to invest resources in improving the platform and continue combating the increasingly rampant issue of online fraud. The allocation of this budget demonstrates the government's determination to combat fraud crimes and its emphasis on providing the public with a more convenient and effective fraud reporting system.

Who is responsible for online fraud? Banks, Facebook turn a blind eye to fraud, and the UK government forces businesses to compensate