When 96 individuals from China arrived at Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, they realized they had been deceived after paying a significant amount of money to participate in a music competition promising substantial cash prizes. The scam involved a fraudster creating fake invitations from the city of Taipei, collecting the entry fees, and leaving the "contestants" stranded at the airport in mid-February. Some of the musicians were so upset that they decided not to return home. Experts in crime anticipate a rise in such fraudulent activities in Asia, particularly in greater China, as the economic downturn drives scammers to target vulnerable individuals seeking a change in fortune. Chu Yiu-kong, a criminologist at Hong Kong University, noted that there has been a surge in victims due to the economic crisis. Chinese individuals have a strong fondness for money, making it easy for them to become ensnared by financial traps. Additionally, they place great importance on fortuitous opportunities, particularly during challenging circumstances. The current global economic downturn has negatively impacted trade-dependent Asian nations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan, leading to recession and cost-cutting measures by large corporations in the area. Experts in crime suggest that fraudulent individuals tend to flourish in these dire economic conditions. Police warn that scams such as job search deception, fraudulent money lending, and misleading individuals into paying large fees for fake lottery winnings or business opportunities are on the rise. One particular scam targets job seekers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, where swindlers pose as recruiters and convince applicants to invest in the companies they are applying to. Unfortunately, these companies and the money invested disappear when job seekers follow up on their applications. As a result, many individuals, like 26-year-old Zhou Yang from Shenzhen, China, are wary of roadside job agencies due to the prevalence of scams. According to local media reports, a scam artist in south China was able to make 800,000 yuan ($117,000) last year by sending text messages from a mobile phone using a common Chinese name to demand repayment of a debt. The victims, who mostly owed money to different individuals, believed they were being pressured to pay back their debts. This type of scam only adds to the hardships faced by those already struggling financially. Chang Chin-lan, a prevention officer with Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau, expressed concerns that as deception crimes increase, people may become more desperate and their morals may decline. Police statistics in Taiwan show that deception crimes rose by 33% from about 31,000 in 2007 to 41,000 in 2008. The Hong Kong police saw a significant increase in deception crimes in the last quarter of 2008, rising from 1,071 to 1,414 cases. In Singapore, authorities are predicting a rise in phone scams and other forms of fraud due to the struggling economy, with "cheating and related offences" increasing by approximately 10 percent from 2,917 in 2006 to 3,254 last year. The Singapore Police Force has warned that phone scams are likely to continue during these tough economic times, with scammers developing new tactics to manipulate victims into giving up their money. Beyond economic factors, advancements in technology have also played a role in the proliferation of scams, enabling fraudsters to reach a wider audience and deceive individuals across borders. According to Tsai Tien-mu, a criminology professor at Taipei Police College, costly hoaxes began to emerge in Asia around 2001 with the emergence of the Internet and mobile phones that provide anonymity and protection from law enforcement, even in different countries. Tsai mentioned that it is now simple for anyone to contact anyone else, whereas previously, the aggressor had to physically meet the victim. Due to the ease with which con artists can conceal themselves, law enforcement faces difficulties in solving fraud cases. In Taiwan, only 10 percent of cases are resolved by police officers. Conversely, in Hong Kong, police prioritize public education over pursuing individual con artists, according to Chu from Hong Kong University. Frequently, scammers operate from China, where they are difficult for Hong Kong law enforcement to apprehend. According to Zhou, a job seeker in Shenzhen, the police in mainland China are not very helpful to victims of fraud. Zhou mentioned that even if you are cheated, contacting the police is not effective, as they rarely respond and provide assistance.