Organized crime groups from East and Southeast Asia are rapidly expanding their operations worldwide, exploiting technology and weak law enforcement in new regions. A recent United Nations (UN) report has issued a serious warning: Asian scam networks are no longer confined to Southeast Asia—they’re now going global, with estimated annual revenues reaching a staggering €35 billion.
From Regional Crime to Global Menace
Scam operations once concentrated in border areas of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines are evolving into a global criminal enterprise. These groups are now leveraging AI, deepfakes, and online platforms to scale what experts call “crime as a service.”
These scams—ranging from romance cons to fake investment schemes—are spreading beyond Asia into Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and even parts of the Pacific Islands. With law enforcement tightening its grip in Southeast Asia, these syndicates are migrating to areas with weaker regulatory frameworks, allowing them to grow unchecked.
“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,” said Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC’s acting regional lead for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
€35 Billion in Annual Profits and Growing
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these scam operations now bring in close to $40 billion (€35 billion) per year. These aren’t small-time cons—they’re sophisticated, well-funded operations tied to other forms of transnational crime, including money laundering, human trafficking, and cyberfraud.
Recent crackdowns in Nigeria, Zambia, and Angola uncovered links between local scams and Southeast Asian syndicates. In Brazil, authorities are battling a wave of gambling-related fraud and financial crimes tied to these same networks.
One especially disturbing case surfaced in Peru in late 2023, where over 40 Malaysians were trafficked and forced into cybercrime operations by the Red Dragon gang, based in Taiwan.
UN: This Is a Global Wake-Up Call
The UN report emphasizes that Asian scam operations have gone global, partnering with other organized crime groups and exploiting digital tools to remain undetected. The mix of advanced technology, stolen personal data, and borderless communication platforms allows these criminals to operate with near impunity.
“The convergence between the acceleration and professionalization of these operations on the one hand and their geographical expansion into new parts of the region and beyond on the other translates into a new intensity in the industry,” Hofmann warned.
Coordinated Global Action Needed
As this web of fraud expands, the UN calls for international cooperation. Without swift and strategic intervention, these organized crime rings could continue spreading into vulnerable countries, destabilizing local economies and eroding public trust in digital platforms.
The UN alert on the global spread of €35 billion Asian scam operations is not just a warning—it’s a call to action. Law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and international regulators must act together to confront a threat that is no longer regional but truly global.
