A United Nations report warns that transnational organized crime groups from East and Southeast Asia are expanding their scam operations globally, due in part to growing law enforcement crackdowns in their original regions. These scam centers—primarily based in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines—employ tactics such as romantic fraud, fake investment schemes, and illicit online gambling to generate nearly $40 billion annually.
As authorities intensify efforts against these networks, the syndicates have begun operating in Africa, Latin America, South Asia, the Middle East, and Pacific islands, exploiting areas with weak law enforcement. Notable developments include arrests in Nigeria, Zambia, and Angola, as well as human trafficking cases in Peru linked to the Taiwanese Red Dragon gang.
The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights the sophisticated evolution of these operations, fueled by cyber tools such as AI, deepfakes, and underground banking. The report, titled “Inflection Point,” emphasizes the growing involvement of global crime groups and calls for increased international readiness to combat the rising intensity and geographical spread of these scam enterprises.
English