Taichung woman falls for 'cowardly Ukraine army commander' scam

Taichung, July 12 (CNA) Police in Taichung said Friday that they had to convince a 65-year-old woman not to wire the equivalent of US$5,000 to a man claiming to be a special forces commander trying to flee the Russia-Ukraine war.

According to police, they were called by bank staff in the city's Xitun District on June 5 after the woman told them that she urgently needed to help "General Sam" buy a plane ticket to Taiwan.

The woman said she met the man on Facebook and was deeply attracted to his experiences and demeanor, therefore referring to each other as brother and sister.

The man claimed to be a general serving in a special military unit based in Ukraine and sought assistance from the woman because he feared for his life because it was "his turn to fight on the frontlines."