Couple accused of tricking senior into buying NT$2,500 photoshopped portrait

Couple accused of tricking senior into buying NT$2,500 photoshopped portrait

2026-09-25

Stay alert if a stranger offers to take your photo! In Hengchun Township in Pingtung, one family said that a couple approached their elderly father offering to turn his photograph into a portrait. The next day, they showed up at his doorstep demanding NT$2,500 for the portrait, which appeared to just be a headshot photoshopped onto another picture. Until the couple showed up with the portrait, the family didn’t realize their father was being subject to aggressive sales tactics. In the end, they had no choice but to pay.

- He initially said his studio charges NT$5,000, but had a special price of NT$2,500 for bringing it to his home.

This framed portrait cost NT$2,500, even though it appears to just be a face photoshopped onto another picture. Ms. Chen from Pingtung said her hard-of-hearing father was approached by strangers on his doorstep who offered to take his picture to make into a painting. He didn’t suspect it was a scam.

Ms. Chen
Elderly man’s daughter
He couldn’t understand or hear what they were saying, so he just smiled and said OK to everything. When elderly people don’t know what’s going on, they won’t ask their family. Since the couple was older themselves, we just decided to let it go and take the portrait.

The family was able to snap this picture of the couple leaving. After taking the man’s photo, the two returned the next day demanding payment. His family was surprised, but since the portrait was already produced and their father had agreed to it, knowingly or not, they decided to pay.

Ms. Chen
Elderly man’s daughter
I asked his caregiver to hang it in his room so he’d look at it every day as a reminder that he got scammed.

Wang Yi-chang
Hengchun police lead detective
Our precinct has not yet received any formal reports of allegedly fraudulent behavior involving the solicitation of seniors for photography or portraiture.

The couple allegedly used aggressive sales techniques to get the commission. Similar tactics were reportedly widespread in the past, but have recently resurfaced with a new twist.

Resident
Hengchun
This happened a lot before. It was everywhere. They’d bring some items and say they wanted money from you. But I don’t think it’s allowed anymore under current law.

Suspecting that the couple deliberately targets the elderly with fraudulent intent, the family shared their experience online to urge households with senior family members to stay vigilant.

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