[Finance] Survey Reveals New Immigrants' Fraud Prevention Risks: 45% Have Encountered Scams

The population of new immigrants continues to grow. CIG Life Insurance released a survey today (10th) on the financial insurance and fraud prevention awareness of new immigrants, revealing that 45% of respondents indicated that they or their relatives and friends had encountered scams. Common scam types are mainly based on interpersonal networks and online scenarios, such as fake friends/relatives asking for money and fake shopping websites. CIG Life Insurance issued a press release today, collaborating with the New Immigrants Family Association to conduct the "New Immigrants Financial Insurance and Fraud Prevention Awareness Survey" to understand the financial insurance service needs of new immigrants. Financial fraud prevention is a key focus of this survey. 45% of respondents stated that they or their fellow countrymen/friends had been scammed. Among those who have lived in Taiwan for over 21 years, the proportion exceeds 50%, indicating that even after long-term integration into Taiwanese society, they may still face fraud risks due to financial transactions and internet usage. Common scam types are mainly based on interpersonal networks and online scenarios, such as fake friends/relatives asking for money (22%) and fake shopping websites (20%). The survey shows that the main sources of insurance information for new immigrants are relatives, friends, fellow countrymen, and colleagues, followed by insurance companies or agents. Most respondents have purchased insurance for themselves or their families, indicating that as new immigrants spend more time living in Taiwan, their financial needs are gradually shifting from "life adaptation" and "language assistance" towards "life planning." The issues of concern have expanded from medical protection to long-term care, retirement life, and family protection against long-term risks. During the insurance application process, in addition to language barriers, choosing insurance products and understanding claims are also very challenging for new immigrants. The survey shows that the most common difficulties encountered by respondents are "not knowing which insurance is suitable for them" (29%) and "worrying about claims issues" (24%). New immigrants, far from their hometowns, are most concerned about having no one to care for them in old age, dementia, or disability, followed by the inability to afford medical expenses when sick and insufficient funds for post-retirement life. In terms of financial education, the survey indicates that respondents prefer sharing real-life case studies, using simple Chinese with illustrations, and simulated claims applications. Future course designs should be more closely aligned with real-life scenarios to help new immigrants understand insurance policies and choose suitable coverage. CIG Life Insurance stated that it continues to offer new immigrant-friendly courses to enhance staff understanding of diverse customer groups and has pioneered the "Insurance Industry's New Immigrant Customer Friendly Service Guide," translating communication assistance and financial-friendly principles into concrete service guidelines. (Editor: Chen Shih-lien)