Asian crime networks expand cyber scam centres worldwide

UN report reveals Asian crime syndicates spreading cyber scam operations across Africa, Europe, and Pacific islands amid crackdown in Southeast Asia.

Alleged scam center workers and victims sit on the ground during a crackdown by the Karen Border Guard Force on illegal operations at the KK Park complex in Myawaddy township, eastern Myanmar, on February 26, 2025. Photo by STR/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Asian crime networks that have long dominated cyber scam operations in Southeast Asia are rapidly extending their reach across the globe, the United Nations revealed on Monday. The expansion of these crime syndicates, particularly those rooted in China and Southeast Asia, underscores a dangerous evolution in cybercrime, marked by growing sophistication, new global targets, and closer collaboration with other criminal organizations.

In a detailed report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned that Asian crime networks have begun setting up scam centres far beyond their traditional strongholds. Originally concentrated in regions like Myanmar's unregulated border areas and loosely governed "special economic zones" in Cambodia and Laos, these illicit operations are now appearing in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and remote Pacific islands.

Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC’s Acting Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, explained that this global spread is a strategic move. “We are seeing a global expansion of East and Southeast Asian organised crime groups,” he said. “This reflects both a natural expansion as the industry grows and seeks new ways and places to do business, but also a hedging against future risks should disruption continue and intensify in Southeast Asia.”

Tens of billions in losses as scams diversify

The scope of cybercrime orchestrated by these cyber scam syndicates is staggering. According to the UNODC, countries in East and Southeast Asia alone lost approximately $37 billion to cyber fraud in 2023. The report notes that losses worldwide are likely far higher, with the true financial damage remaining difficult to quantify due to underreporting and evolving tactics.

These crime networks deploy a wide range of scams—ranging from fake investment platforms and romance scams to cryptocurrency frauds—often targeting victims across national boundaries. Many of these fraudulent operations are staffed by trafficked individuals forced to work under inhumane conditions.

Victims aren’t limited to the end-users of scams. Thousands of people from countries around the world—lured by false promises of legitimate employment—have been trafficked into scam compounds. In these often-guarded locations, workers are held against their will, forced to engage in online fraud to generate profit for the syndicates.

From Southeast Asia to the world

The UNODC report highlighted how scam networks that once operated predominantly from Southeast Asia are now turning to emerging regions. In Africa, significant activity has been identified in Zambia, Angola, and Namibia. In the Pacific, scam centres have emerged in Fiji, Palau, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The appeal of these areas lies in their relatively weak regulatory frameworks and limited law enforcement capacity to deal with transnational cybercrime.

As Southeast Asian authorities ramp up pressure, particularly in Myanmar, criminals are shifting operations to avoid detection. Beijing's recent push to crack down on Myanmar-based scam centres resulted in the rescue of approximately 7,000 forced workers from at least 24 countries earlier this year.

However, Hofmann warned that this is not the end. “It spreads like a cancer. Authorities treat it in one area, but the roots never disappear—they simply migrate,” he said.

Collaboration with global criminal networks

The Southeast Asian crime gangs are not operating in isolation. The UNODC found that they are forging partnerships with international organized crime groups, including South American drug cartels, the Italian mafia, and the Irish mob. These collaborations help facilitate the global flow of illicit funds and provide logistical support for scam operations.

One of the most significant developments highlighted in the report is the use of illicit cryptocurrency mining as a money laundering tool. Cryptocurrencies offer anonymity and are difficult to trace, making them ideal for funneling the massive profits generated by scams into legitimate-looking accounts.

An incident in June 2023 illustrates the growing scale of such laundering operations. In militia-controlled territory in Libya, authorities raided a massive cryptocurrency mining facility outfitted with high-powered computing equipment and advanced cooling systems. Fifty Chinese nationals were arrested during the raid, exposing a complex operation deeply embedded within a lawless region.

Digital ecosystems designed to evade law enforcement

The rise of these international scam networks has been aided by advances in technology. Operators no longer rely on public platforms that can be monitored or shut down. Instead, they are building their own digital infrastructure—encrypted messaging apps, custom payment systems, and decentralized crypto tools—designed to keep their activities hidden and untraceable.

These closed-loop systems make it harder for authorities to intervene and dismantle operations. As a result, while some scam compounds may be raided or shut down, the networks behind them can easily re-establish themselves elsewhere, using encrypted communication and digital assets to retain control and continue operations without major disruption.

Human trafficking and forced labor at the heart

Central to these scam operations is an often-overlooked human rights crisis. The cyber scam syndicates rely heavily on a workforce estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands—many of whom are victims of human trafficking. Individuals from across Asia, and increasingly from Africa and Latin America, are lured with promises of high-paying tech jobs or remote work. Once they arrive, passports are confiscated, and they are confined to walled compounds where escape is nearly impossible.

Testimonies gathered by the UNODC paint a grim picture of long hours, threats of violence, and even torture for failing to meet scam quotas. The trafficked workers are forced to deceive victims, sending messages, running fake websites, or creating content that helps lure new targets into elaborate fraud schemes.

Governments urged to act swiftly

The UN is calling on governments around the world to respond with coordinated efforts. As these Asian crime networks expand and diversify their operations, single-nation responses are no longer sufficient. Law enforcement agencies must collaborate across borders, share intelligence, and close the regulatory loopholes that allow cybercriminals to exploit financial systems, particularly in the cryptocurrency domain.

UNODC also emphasized the need to focus on victim support—not just for those scammed out of money, but for the trafficked individuals trapped inside these illicit operations.

“It's a global problem now,” Hofmann said. “And it’s going to take a global solution.”

A changing landscape of cybercrime

The rise of Southeast Asian crime gangs as global cyber scam leaders marks a dangerous shift in the nature of digital threats. Once considered regional actors, these syndicates now rival international cartels in reach, sophistication, and financial power.

As scam centres proliferate worldwide, the UN's latest findings underscore a growing threat not only to individual victims but to international security, financial stability, and the fight against transnational organized crime.

The warning is clear: without swift and sustained action, these Asian crime networks will continue to thrive—recruiting new victims, laundering greater sums, and expanding their operations into every corner of the globe.