When 96 individuals from China arrived at Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, they realized they had been deceived after paying a large sum of money to participate in a music competition with lucrative cash prizes. The scam involved fraudulent invitations from the city of Taipei, with the con artist absconding with the entry fees and leaving the "contestants" stranded at the airport in mid-February. Some of the musicians were so outraged that they refused to return home. According to crime experts, such fraudulent activities are anticipated to rise in Asia, particularly in greater China, as the economic downturn prompts scammers to target vulnerable individuals seeking a change in fortune. "We are witnessing an increase in the number of victims due to the economic crisis," stated Chu Yiu-kong, a criminologist at Hong Kong University. Chinese individuals have a strong desire for wealth, making them susceptible to being deceived. They also have a belief in luck and opportunities, particularly during challenging times. The current economic downturn in trade-dependent Asian countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan has resulted in recessions and cost-cutting measures by businesses, including layoffs. Experts warn that scam artists tend to take advantage of these difficult economic situations. Scams that are expected to rise include job search fraud, fake money lending, and convincing people to pay large fees for fake lottery winnings or business opportunities. One common scam targets job seekers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China by pretending to be recruiters and asking for investments in the companies they are applying to. These fraudulent companies disappear when job seekers follow up on their applications. Zhou Yang, a 26-year-old from Shenzhen, China, stated that they do not trust roadside job agencies due to frequent deception. According to local media reports, a scam artist in south China was able to earn 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 already owed money to different individuals, believed they were being pressured for repayment. This type of scam only adds to the financial difficulties of those already struggling to make ends meet. Chang Chin-lan, a prevention officer with Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau, warned that as deception crimes continue to rise, people may become desperate and morality could decline. Police statistics in Taiwan show that deception crimes increased by a third from about 31,000 in 2007 to 41,000 in 2008. In the fourth quarter of 2008, Hong Kong police saw a significant increase in deception crimes, with cases rising from 1,071 to 1,414. In Singapore, authorities are expecting a rise in phone scams and other forms of fraud due to the struggling economy, with "cheating and related offences" increasing by about 10 percent from 2,917 in 2006 to 3,254 in the previous year. The Singapore Police Force has warned that phone scams are likely to continue in tough economic times, with scammers developing new methods to deceive victims. Besides economic factors, advancements in technology have also contributed to the growth in scams, enabling fraudsters to target victims across borders. The emergence of costly hoaxes in Asia around 2001 was linked to the proliferation of the Internet and mobile phones, which provide anonymity and protection from law enforcement in multiple countries, explained Tsai Tien-mu, a criminology professor at Taipei Police College. Tsai mentioned that it is now simple for individuals to contact each other, whereas previously, the perpetrator had to physically meet the victim. Due to the ease with which con artists can conceal themselves, law enforcement faces challenges in solving fraud cases. In Taiwan, police officers only solve 10 percent of their cases. Conversely, in Hong Kong, police prioritize public education over pursuing individual con artists, according to Chu from Hong Kong University. Frequently, the scammers can be found in China, well out of the jurisdiction of law enforcement in Hong Kong. According to Zhou, a job seeker from Shenzhen, the police in mainland China are not very helpful for victims of fraud. Zhou stated that even if you are cheated, contacting the police is pointless as they rarely respond and offer assistance.