Ministry of Economic Affairs Debunks Fake News Regarding Executive Yuan Official

Recently, a striking piece of malicious graphic and textual content has been circulating on online social media platforms, claiming that Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-xin lost control of his emotions and even got into an argument with the host on-site during a television program due to a topic concerning stock purchases. In response, the Ministry of Economic Affairs issued an official statement today to make a stern clarification, pointing out that this is entirely fraudulent content meticulously fabricated by unscrupulous individuals exploiting the reputations of celebrities and well-known media brands. This incident not only once again highlights the severe challenges posed by the rampant spread of deepfake technology and misinformation in the current digital environment, but also reflects how fraud syndicates continuously innovate their tactics to gain the public's trust, even using incumbent high-ranking government officials as marketing tools in an attempt to lure the public into traps.

According to information obtained and publicly explained by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, this wave of circulating online misinformation uses the sensational headline "TVBS Live Broadcast Exposes Scandal: Minister Loses Control and Blows Up on Program Set," and weaves in fabricated details within the text to invent a seemingly authentic scene of conflict, which is then used to promote a so-called AI investment platform or financial management scheme. The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized that Secretary-General Kung Ming-xin did not engage in any such disputes on the program, and the related reports are purely fictitious. Government departments repeatedly urge citizens to maintain a high degree of vigilance when facing sensational, emotional, and financial investment-related online posts of this nature, and to refrain from easily believing or casually forwarding them, lest they become accomplices in expanding the reach of fraud syndicates.

A further analysis of such fraud methods reveals that their underlying operational logic often follows a fixed pattern. Capitalizing on the public's desire for financial information and their trust in public figures and mainstream media, fraud syndicates deliberately create conflicting or dramatic topics to attract eyeballs. Once people click on these fake news stories or malicious links, they are usually guided to single-page websites and subsequently pulled into so-called private messaging application investment groups. Within these groups, there are often numerous fake accounts commonly known as "mules" or "shills" to create a bustling illusion of making money, with the ultimate objective of luring victims into remitting money or handing over funds, resulting in severe property losses.

Faced with endless online financial fraud, Taiwan's government has actively cracked down across ministries and agencies in recent years, with units such as the Financial Supervisory Commission, the Ministry of Digital Affairs, and the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior continuing to promote the "Anti-Fraud Guidelines." However, fraud syndicates exploit generative artificial intelligence and loopholes in online ad placement, making the spread of misinformation extremely rapid and difficult to guard against. In this clarifying statement, the Ministry of Economic Affairs reiterated several anti-fraud principles, clearly stating that government departments and cabinet members will never recommend specific stocks through online news, social media platform advertisements, or private messages, nor will they proactively invite the public to join investment groups or instructional courses under any name.

This incident is not merely a clarification of an online rumor; it underscores the critical issues of current digital governance and information security. With the popularization of social media algorithms, the cost of disseminating false information is extremely low, yet it can cause massive damage to social order and public property safety. The public is urged that in the future, upon seeing any content on the internet involving government officials recommending investments, getting rich quick through financial management, or well-known programs exposing scandals, they must verify it through official channels and adhere to the principles of "not listening, not believing, and not spreading," thereby jointly building a solid defense line against financial fraud.