20th May 2025 – (Taipei) A Hong Kong woman recently disclosed on social media her unsettling encounter with a counterfeit money scam while travelling in Taipei on the 19th. This incident marked her first experience with such deception in Taiwan, prompting her to warn fellow netizens to remain cautious.
The woman eventually realized she had received counterfeit money only after being alerted by locals, who described the counterfeit notes as remarkably authentic and suspected them to be specifically targeting tourists.
The individual shared her ordeal on Threads, a social media platform, recounting how she unwittingly boarded a taxi after visiting the renowned Raohe Street Night Market in Taipei and heading towards Ximending. Despite sensing something amiss about the driver before boarding, she proceeded due to the taxi’s prime spot at the stand.
Upon entering the taxi, she encountered a floor littered with used plastic bags, but as the journey to Ximending was brief, she and her friends decided to endure the discomfort.
However, the driver’s behaviour raised further red flags as he drove erratically from the night market to Ximending, running red lights and speeding.
Upon reaching their destination, they decided to quickly disembark, and the woman handed the driver a NT$1000 note for payment. In return, the driver provided change using multiple notes, including a counterfeit NT$500 note concealed amidst several authentic NT$100 notes.
The woman failed to notice the fake note at the time due to the dimly lit interior of the taxi. It was only during a subsequent shopping trip in Ximending that a store clerk identified the counterfeit note, remarking on its authenticity and suggesting it was likely intended for deceiving tourists.
The woman shared images of the counterfeit NT$500 note, which closely resembled a genuine NT$500 note but bore markings such as “Play Money” and “Printed by Current Factory,” discernible with closer inspection. She emphasised the importance of vigilance when handling money while travelling and viewed this experience as a valuable lesson.
While some online users urged the woman to report the incident to local authorities, suspecting the taxi driver of being a repeat offender with a potential record, the woman opted not to pursue the matter further, citing the lack of a licence plate record and the passage of time.
