Taiwan Reports Sharp Drop in Fraud Cases After Blocking China’s RedNote

Taiwan has reported a steep decline in fraud cases linked to Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, (小红书) also known as RedNote, eight months after authorities blocked access to the app over its failure to cooperate with anti-fraud measures.

Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior ordered internet service providers to restrict access to RedNote for one year beginning in December 2025 under the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act. The measure came amid concerns that the platform had become a popular tool for fraud and scam networks targeting Taiwanese users, especially vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and younger users.

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Restrictions showing results

At an Aug. 27 press conference, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh said 145 fraud cases linked to RedNote were reported between December 2025 and July 2026, resulting in NT$33.88 million (about USD$1.04 million) in losses. By comparison, authorities recorded 525 cases and NT$98.9 million (about USD$3.04 million) in losses during the preceding eight months, from April through November 2025.

“The number of fraud cases and the amount of financial losses fell by 72 percent and 66 percent, respectively,” Liang said, adding, “The reason for the temporary blocking of Xiaohongshu is to combat fraud. Xiaohongshu has consistently failed to respond to requests from the Taiwan government, so a temporary blocking measure was adopted.”

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Liang said the figures suggest the restriction has had a significant effect and that fraud groups had made extensive use of the platform. He urged RedNote to cooperate with Taiwanese authorities, warning that regulators may continue taking measures if the company does not respond.

Beijing claps back

Beijing disputed Taiwan’s account. Zhang Han, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, described the fraud statistics as “staged by the DPP itself” and accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of using the restriction to “incite confrontation and conflict across the Taiwan Strait.” Zhang also accused Taiwanese authorities of depriving young people of their right to access information and freedom to use social media.

The dispute comes amid broader concerns in Taiwan about the security of Chinese-developed apps, particularly the amount of user information they collect and where that data is transmitted. Those concerns carry added weight given the fraught relationship across the Taiwan Strait and fears that data collected from Taiwanese users could be accessed by Chinese authorities.

Though Taiwan operates as an independent nation since its establishment in 1949, Beijing views the island as a “breakaway province,” and has vowed to reclaim it by any means necessary, even if that means resorting to military force to achieve unification under its “One China” policy.

Security concerns extend beyond fraud

In July 2025, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) released the results of security testing conducted on five popular Chinese apps: RedNote, Douyin, Weibo, WeChat, and Baidu Cloud. Using 15 indicators covering personal-data collection, application permissions, data transmission, system information, and biometric information, investigators found that RedNote failed all 15 security tests. Weibo and Douyin each failed 13, WeChat failed 10, and Baidu Cloud failed nine.

According to the NSB, the apps displayed practices including excessive collection of personal information and access to facial data, screenshots, clipboard contents, contact lists, location information, installed applications, and device specifications. Investigators also found that all five apps transmitted data to servers in China, raising concerns about how Taiwanese users’ information could ultimately be accessed or used.

Chinese law adds another layer to those concerns. Beijing’s Cybersecurity and National Intelligence Law contain provisions requiring companies and other organizations to cooperate with national security and intelligence authorities under certain circumstances. The NSB said similar security concerns have prompted governments elsewhere to restrict or warn against certain Chinese-developed apps. Taiwan has also prohibited government agencies from using certain Chinese information and communications technology products.