TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council on Sunday dismissed rumors of a Chinese app that allegedly enabled Taiwanese to defect as a hoax.

Images of a Chinese-made app called “Return Home” have been circulating online, claiming to allow Taiwanese citizens and military personnel to easily "register their defection," per Liberty Times. The app allegedly had 28,000 registrations in Taipei alone and over 128,000 Taiwanese overall. 

The council emphasized that the app cannot be found on any platform. Officials said that this is a typical piece of foreign disinformation, "creating the false impression that many people are becoming ‘traitors to Taiwan’ and encouraging others to do the same."

Rumors of the app were shared on online platforms. On Oct. 21, a Jiangsu netizen claimed to have created the app after watching a CCTV drama series “Silent Honor,” saying it could allow Taiwanese to register their defection under real names. 

Those who recruited others could purportedly earn points that could be redeemed for prizes like Steam gift cards, phones, and red envelopes. The app also allegedly provided features to "apply for a Mainland ID card" and "one-click call to the People's Liberation Army," with users able to submit a 200-character help request in the notes section.

The Ministry of Digital Affairs launched an investigation, but a search of iOS and Android systems in Taiwan and China found no trace of the app available for download. The council pointed out that the app could not be found on any platform, and if it truly existed, action would be taken to have it removed or blocked.