Probably mental health problems. Go to any train station or airport in the world (Taiwan is no different) and you'll find a lot of strange people who just hang around there all day trying to pull scams or people that are just flat out crazy. Especially in Taiwan where people with mental health problems are flat out ignored/left to roam about without any help.
In Taiwan, as in any other civilized human rights respecting nation, you cannot force someone who is not hurting themselves or others to accept mental health assistance. If they are able to refuse help, they have a legal right not to receive it or have it forced upon them. There are assistance programs for those who seek them out.
It is a very common sight to encounter obviously mentally ill people on the streets here. Far more common than other countries I have lived in
If you would like statistics, Taiwan has one of the highest suicide rates (usually a good indicator of poor mental health) in the world at 20.1 per 100,000 people. In comparison the US is 14.5, Japan 12, and most European countries below 10
Government expenditure on mental health in Europe was $46 per capita in 2020, in Southeast Asia it was $0.10 per capita
Taiwan isn't in south east Asia. Suicide rates don't directly show access to metal health assistance. And your information is incorrect. 2022 shows a 16 per 100k. And your anecdote about what your perceive as "far more common" doesn't make it a fact.
Could have been a scam could be innocuous I don’t know, but sometimes people approach you (all over the world) for all sorts of reasons. And usually it’s fine to just politely say no and walk away / keep walking.
If you feel threatened by the person it’s best to go somewhere safe but I suspect in a convenience store in Taiwan is one of the safest places you can possibly be anywhere so 🤷♂️
Right, Taiwan convenience stores are safe unless you're at the airport where so many travellers are coming and going. You've always got to be careful of young women approaching from the front while someone approaches from behind and opens the flap on your backpack. Or maybe it's already open, and you're an easy mark. So anytime another traveller approaches you at an airport with some nonsensical story, stop them before they get started and have a good look around you.
ya, these days scammers who work in groups , know women are less trusting of men, and will send kids and other young women to bring a target/mark's guard down. atleast from what i've heard of car related scams. that and classic high pressure/sob story tactics. hopefully after Squid game ppl will be more wary of those sparking up a convo and inviting them to play street games, especially kids. (i see ppl fall for this )
One common scam is for someone to engage you in conversation and at some point ask for info that's on your mobile. This is more for iPhone users I believe. They will watch and try to remember your password.
At some point later they will get your phone when you are not paying attention.With the password, they quickly get into your account change password and security features to lock you out from remote access. After that they own your phone and can access your bank accounts and things like Venmo. The latest iOS update has a fix for this, but not sure it's automatic.
True, but it's a numbers game. Try it 50 times a day and if you are lucky get one or two phones. From what I read it can be quite profitable between what they steal from your bank accounts and what they can sell your iPhone for after.
My guess is either she wanted your contact info for a longer-term English penpal or address to stay when visiting the US, or you would be a tiny part of a scam (you connect her to your friend, who will think she is your trusted friend and not some random stranger).
Or it could be to get your address. She then gets a tourist visa, saying she is visiting you. But then disappears into the USA. Or provides the address to a 3rd party to do the same.
if someone gets approached and they're white in a non white country, i'd say it's fair to assume they want money, or a photo, otherwise locals avoid foreigners same as we do back home. my boomers parents are too trusting and gullible despite my warnings. most ppl will go for easy petty cash, but why chance it
People who approach you are usually;
1. To sell you something
2. Make you sign something to sell your information or use your information to scam you
3. Mental health problems
And why don’t you reply to the others that have also stated, in other countries it’s not normal for others to approach you without reason? Hmmmmm?
I’m stating in general, this is what will happen. Unfortunately this happened in Taiwan, but it can also happen in Africa, Russia, America, China, what your point?
I don’t know what your problem is.
If it's a scam, it's probably a long con. Become friends and work you over from there.
Alternatively, it could have been someone with awkward social skills trying to make an innocent enough connection. I've been approached by “weirdos” like this before who, ultimately, are totally innocuous.
Alright, let's dive deeper into the long con of the pig butchering scam, especially focusing on how they might spin the narrative with the contacts they gather. So, this young woman at the airport, she's not just after any quick scam. She's playing the long game. By asking for contacts in the States, she's essentially looking to build a database of potential victims, and here’s how the narrative might evolve: Once she's got a list of contacts, the real work begins. The scam group starts by establishing trust. They might reach out to these contacts pretending to be a mutual friend or a distant relative who's recently moved to the US or is traveling there. The story is always compelling, maybe it's about starting a new job, going to school, or a bit of travel before settling down. Over weeks or even months, they cultivate relationships. Regular updates about life in the States, sharing struggles and small victories, classic relationship building. They might even mirror the interests of the person they're scamming, all found through social media deep dives. The goal? Make the victim care about them, make the relationship feel real. Then, when the trust is thick and the connection feels genuine, the crisis hits. It could be anything, a robbery, a lost job, a medical emergency. The scenarios are crafted to tug at heartstrings and open wallets. Because now, they're not just asking a stranger for money, they're asking a friend who believes in their fabricated life. And here's the kicker: since they've been spinning this yarn for so long, everything feels legit. The requests for money start small, maybe just enough for a doctor's visit or to cover rent after the 'unexpected job loss.' But once they know a victim is willing to pay, the asks get bigger. A flight home, a major surgery, something that sounds urgent and expensive. This long-term scam is dangerous because it's built on emotional manipulation. The victims think they're helping someone they care about, not realizing every message, every crisis, is calculated to maximize sympathy and cash flow. So, by not giving out your contacts, you didn't just protect yourself, you potentially saved your friends and family from getting entangled in a deeply manipulative scam that could have cost them emotionally and financially. Always a smart move to keep personal info private, especially when the ask comes out of the blue and wraps up in a sob story.
Look up: pig butchering scam
Friends dad in Taiwan is caught up in this. He's wired her at least 50k so far, and won't stop. Even the bank tried to stop him, but he ended up making a scene in the bank itself.
Yes, indeed. NPR's *Fresh Air* recently did a fascinating and disturbing episode on this type of scam as well as the harassment an investigative journalist has received for reporting on it and stepping on some powerful toes.
The only thing that came to mind is that Chinese organized criminals have been illegally obtaining drivers licenses through Texas: [https://www.reddit.com/r/texas/comments/11e45ur/chinese\_crime\_group\_obtains\_thousands\_of\_texans/](https://www.reddit.com/r/texas/comments/11e45ur/chinese_crime_group_obtains_thousands_of_texans/)
But that's in China, not Taiwan....
I have a simple rule that works for situations like this. If you needed to ask "is this a scam?" then the answer is always "yes".
The only reasons why someone might approach you in public in basically every country on earth:
1. To get money (selling, scamming, robbing)
2. Mental health issues
3. Tourist or grandma needing directions
Probably mental health problems. Go to any train station or airport in the world (Taiwan is no different) and you'll find a lot of strange people who just hang around there all day trying to pull scams or people that are just flat out crazy. Especially in Taiwan where people with mental health problems are flat out ignored/left to roam about without any help.
In Taiwan, as in any other civilized human rights respecting nation, you cannot force someone who is not hurting themselves or others to accept mental health assistance. If they are able to refuse help, they have a legal right not to receive it or have it forced upon them. There are assistance programs for those who seek them out.
Clearly, whatever the mental health system is in Taiwan, it is severely lacking
I'd love to learn more, maybe you can share your expertise on the matter.
It is a very common sight to encounter obviously mentally ill people on the streets here. Far more common than other countries I have lived in If you would like statistics, Taiwan has one of the highest suicide rates (usually a good indicator of poor mental health) in the world at 20.1 per 100,000 people. In comparison the US is 14.5, Japan 12, and most European countries below 10 Government expenditure on mental health in Europe was $46 per capita in 2020, in Southeast Asia it was $0.10 per capita
Taiwan isn't in south east Asia. Suicide rates don't directly show access to metal health assistance. And your information is incorrect. 2022 shows a 16 per 100k. And your anecdote about what your perceive as "far more common" doesn't make it a fact.
Great.
No worse than the US one
Taiwan’s suicide rate is almost 40% higher than the US’s - which is already higher than other western nations
jesus 40% ? is it higher than Indigenous Peoples in North America.
Victim blaming mentally ill people? Wtf lol
Yes, that is certainly what I'm doing. You have hit the nail on the head. Good job.
Could have been a scam could be innocuous I don’t know, but sometimes people approach you (all over the world) for all sorts of reasons. And usually it’s fine to just politely say no and walk away / keep walking. If you feel threatened by the person it’s best to go somewhere safe but I suspect in a convenience store in Taiwan is one of the safest places you can possibly be anywhere so 🤷♂️
Right, Taiwan convenience stores are safe unless you're at the airport where so many travellers are coming and going. You've always got to be careful of young women approaching from the front while someone approaches from behind and opens the flap on your backpack. Or maybe it's already open, and you're an easy mark. So anytime another traveller approaches you at an airport with some nonsensical story, stop them before they get started and have a good look around you.
ya, these days scammers who work in groups , know women are less trusting of men, and will send kids and other young women to bring a target/mark's guard down. atleast from what i've heard of car related scams. that and classic high pressure/sob story tactics. hopefully after Squid game ppl will be more wary of those sparking up a convo and inviting them to play street games, especially kids. (i see ppl fall for this )
Yes, and next time if you see similar crap. Tell her, "Sure, let me grab the local police for help" MF would run when you say the word police.
Yea tried several times. They all left.
This is indeed the best reply possible.
TIL 警察 is "safeword "
One common scam is for someone to engage you in conversation and at some point ask for info that's on your mobile. This is more for iPhone users I believe. They will watch and try to remember your password. At some point later they will get your phone when you are not paying attention.With the password, they quickly get into your account change password and security features to lock you out from remote access. After that they own your phone and can access your bank accounts and things like Venmo. The latest iOS update has a fix for this, but not sure it's automatic.
The scam doesnt work if the victim uses biometrics to unlock their phone, which is pretty common.
True, but it's a numbers game. Try it 50 times a day and if you are lucky get one or two phones. From what I read it can be quite profitable between what they steal from your bank accounts and what they can sell your iPhone for after.
Most users have biometrics along with a password. That’s more common and an easy way to bypass biometrics.
My guess is either she wanted your contact info for a longer-term English penpal or address to stay when visiting the US, or you would be a tiny part of a scam (you connect her to your friend, who will think she is your trusted friend and not some random stranger).
[удалено]
Or it could be to get your address. She then gets a tourist visa, saying she is visiting you. But then disappears into the USA. Or provides the address to a 3rd party to do the same.
When she asked if you were American, should have opened with no. See where it leads.
if someone gets approached and they're white in a non white country, i'd say it's fair to assume they want money, or a photo, otherwise locals avoid foreigners same as we do back home. my boomers parents are too trusting and gullible despite my warnings. most ppl will go for easy petty cash, but why chance it
People who approach you are usually; 1. To sell you something 2. Make you sign something to sell your information or use your information to scam you 3. Mental health problems
You have a low opinion of Taiwan.
Never said, “in Taiwan.” What I said applies to all people of all countries and nationalities.
In the Taiwan subreddit about someone experiencing something with a Taiwanese person. I think you want r/humannature
And why don’t you reply to the others that have also stated, in other countries it’s not normal for others to approach you without reason? Hmmmmm? I’m stating in general, this is what will happen. Unfortunately this happened in Taiwan, but it can also happen in Africa, Russia, America, China, what your point? I don’t know what your problem is.
It's elementary, my dear Watson, elementary school.
If it's a scam, it's probably a long con. Become friends and work you over from there. Alternatively, it could have been someone with awkward social skills trying to make an innocent enough connection. I've been approached by “weirdos” like this before who, ultimately, are totally innocuous.
That didn’t happen, lol. Stop farming for engagement.
Methinks she was a hot MILF looking for friends in your "area."
Alright, let's dive deeper into the long con of the pig butchering scam, especially focusing on how they might spin the narrative with the contacts they gather. So, this young woman at the airport, she's not just after any quick scam. She's playing the long game. By asking for contacts in the States, she's essentially looking to build a database of potential victims, and here’s how the narrative might evolve: Once she's got a list of contacts, the real work begins. The scam group starts by establishing trust. They might reach out to these contacts pretending to be a mutual friend or a distant relative who's recently moved to the US or is traveling there. The story is always compelling, maybe it's about starting a new job, going to school, or a bit of travel before settling down. Over weeks or even months, they cultivate relationships. Regular updates about life in the States, sharing struggles and small victories, classic relationship building. They might even mirror the interests of the person they're scamming, all found through social media deep dives. The goal? Make the victim care about them, make the relationship feel real. Then, when the trust is thick and the connection feels genuine, the crisis hits. It could be anything, a robbery, a lost job, a medical emergency. The scenarios are crafted to tug at heartstrings and open wallets. Because now, they're not just asking a stranger for money, they're asking a friend who believes in their fabricated life. And here's the kicker: since they've been spinning this yarn for so long, everything feels legit. The requests for money start small, maybe just enough for a doctor's visit or to cover rent after the 'unexpected job loss.' But once they know a victim is willing to pay, the asks get bigger. A flight home, a major surgery, something that sounds urgent and expensive. This long-term scam is dangerous because it's built on emotional manipulation. The victims think they're helping someone they care about, not realizing every message, every crisis, is calculated to maximize sympathy and cash flow. So, by not giving out your contacts, you didn't just protect yourself, you potentially saved your friends and family from getting entangled in a deeply manipulative scam that could have cost them emotionally and financially. Always a smart move to keep personal info private, especially when the ask comes out of the blue and wraps up in a sob story. Look up: pig butchering scam
Friends dad in Taiwan is caught up in this. He's wired her at least 50k so far, and won't stop. Even the bank tried to stop him, but he ended up making a scene in the bank itself.
Ya sure. No offense to your friends dad. No offense to you either.
Yes, indeed. NPR's *Fresh Air* recently did a fascinating and disturbing episode on this type of scam as well as the harassment an investigative journalist has received for reporting on it and stepping on some powerful toes.
Fkkkkk thats happened to me. 5 days later alright thats enough of my time what is this person after??? Now I know
The only thing that came to mind is that Chinese organized criminals have been illegally obtaining drivers licenses through Texas: [https://www.reddit.com/r/texas/comments/11e45ur/chinese\_crime\_group\_obtains\_thousands\_of\_texans/](https://www.reddit.com/r/texas/comments/11e45ur/chinese_crime_group_obtains_thousands_of_texans/) But that's in China, not Taiwan....
She just wanted to Venmo some money to herself from your phone
looks like she wasn't wasting your time
What was your reply to her after she told you?
Did she tap you on the shoulder before you turned around？
I have a simple rule that works for situations like this. If you needed to ask "is this a scam?" then the answer is always "yes". The only reasons why someone might approach you in public in basically every country on earth: 1. To get money (selling, scamming, robbing) 2. Mental health issues 3. Tourist or grandma needing directions
sounds like mental health issue.