Michele, a dedicated law enforcement officer, found her life upended by a sophisticated cyber scam, which not only drained her finances but also shattered her professional credibility. “They’ve stolen my credibility. The trust people have in me. What this uniform stands for. Who I am as a human.”
These cyber-enabled scams, which often begin with a simple message—a romantic interest, an investment opportunity, or a bank security alert—are escalating globally due to technological advances that allow criminal enterprises to evade law enforcement. This form of financial fraud and cyber-enabled crime, is on the rise, frequently making global headlines. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and Feedzai estimate that nearly a quarter of Americans were scammed in 2023, with total losses reaching $159 billion, or approximately 0.6% of U.S. GDP.
And now, a new revelation: Starlink’s technology is being used by cybercriminals, further enabling fraud operations worldwide. This development highlights a growing challenge for cybersecurity and raises the question of how we hold technology providers accountable while addressing the complex transnational nature of cybercrime.
The satellite internet system Starlink was launched in 2019 by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband access globally, especially in remote or underserved regions. In places like Sudan and Ukraine, it has become a vital lifeline for coordinating emergency assistance, military defense, and humanitarian services or, in others, to get around government-imposed internet shutdowns. Paradoxically, the same features that make Starlink appealing to legitimate users—its portability, lack of centralized infrastructure, and ability to function without reliance on national telecom networks—also make it an attractive tool for cybercriminals.
Over the past several years, online scam operations have proliferated across Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia affecting individuals worldwide. The Myawaddy area of Myanmar has been called the “global capital” of scams, with estimates suggesting the city is home to around 40 scam compounds and some 300,000 scammers.
A recent Wired report revealed that scammers operating in at least eight scam centers on the Myanmar-Thailand border have been found exploiting Starlink to conduct cyber-enabled fraud. Between November 2024 and February 2025, mobile phone connection data showed over 40,000 logins to Starlink from known scam centers. Benedikt Hofmann, the Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime explained that there are a growing number of vendors openly advertising Starlink access as a “solution for online scam operators” on Telegram-based markets. Ironically, Starlink users were themselves the targets of a phishing campaign seeking to steal user data in late 2024.
“I believe that SpaceX must have the capacity to stop this problem,” Rangsiman Rome, a member of Thailand’s House of Representatives and chair of a parliamentary committee on national security, said in Wired. In early February, Rome publicly called on Elon Musk to act saying criminals are “exploiting Starlink for massive fraud” and said Musk has yet to respond.
Erin West, founder of the anti-scam nonprofit Operation Shamrock, further emphasized the issue: “Starlink is an American company, and it is the backbone for how these bad actors are able to access Americans. Our own technology is being used against us.”
Challenges in Combatting Global Cybercrime
Despite increased media attention and law enforcement efforts, stopping scam operations remains a significant challenge. Cyber scams fall into a legal gray zone—blurring the lines between financial fraud and cyber-enabled crime and sitting both outside and in-between legal frameworks as diverse as those applying to trafficking, money laundering and cybercrime. The scale of the problem is exceeding capacity to meaningfully respond. The transnational nature of these cyber scams complicates enforcement, as victims are often in one country while perpetrators operate from another.
Moreover, many of the individuals operating these scams are victims themselves. Criminal syndicates engage in human trafficking and modern slavery, luring people with fake job offers only to coerce them into scam work under the threat of violence. In February 2025, a joint operation between Thai, Chinese, and Myanmar authorities led to the rescue of over 7,000 individuals who had been held captive in scam compounds.
However, the lack of a coordinated international response further exacerbates the problem. In the U.S., multiple agencies—including the Department of Justice, the FBI, the National Security Council, and the State Department—are taking steps to combat cyber scams, yet no single agency has the mandate or resources to lead a consolidated effort. Some countries like Thailand and Singapore have implemented aggressive crackdowns on criminal groups or formed focused anti-scam command centers. Others, including the U.S. and Canada, lag in developing comprehensive anti-scam strategies. Some of these countries have adopted preventive measures such as establishing whitelists for legitimate financial services advertisers or working with telecom companies to block international inbound calls that spoof a domestic number.
Starlink can take meaningful steps to prevent the misuse of its technology. While Starlink was designed to expand internet access globally, its misuse by cybercriminals calls for immediate action and raises important questions about the role and responsibility of technology providers and platforms to prevent bad actors from exploiting their technologies. Starlink could institute more robust processes for violations of its Acceptable Use Policy, or implement stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) policies for Starlink terminals, and require proper identification and verification for buyers, in order to make it more difficult for scammers to obtain and use the service anonymously. Some have called for SpaceX to simply turn off service in known scam centers or to introduce real-time monitoring and anomaly detection systems that flag suspicious activity, such as multiple logins from known scam regions or unauthorized resales of Starlink hardware. Collaboration with international law enforcement agencies would further enhance its ability to disrupt illicit operations.
Policymakers and technology companies must coordinate their response. Addressing cyber-enabled scams requires urgent and coordinated action from both governments and the private sector. With the increasing role of platforms like Starlink enabling fraud, technology providers must recognize their responsibility and be held accountable for ensuring their services do not empower criminal enterprises. This is equally true of social media and financial services platforms where false personas and accounts are established, and online scams flourish. Policymakers must coordinate implementation of stronger tech industry regulations to prevent the misuse of satellite and internet services and work with other private sector providers to go after the tools of the trade: malicious ads, spoofed phone calls or text messages, and fraudulent websites.
Governments can strengthen enforcement and protection efforts. Combatting cyber-enabled scams demands strong cooperation between countries to enhance intelligence sharing and cross-border prosecutions. Domestically, the U.S. could establish a dedicated cyber scam task force across U.S. agencies to coordinate responses and protect vulnerable citizens, while also supporting anti-human trafficking initiatives that target the root causes of forced scam labor.
As cyber-enabled crime and fraud continue to evolve, so must our responses. Without decisive action, the global cyber scam epidemic will only worsen, draining billions from economies and further exploiting the vulnerable. Given the growing culpability of platforms like Starlink in facilitating online fraud, technology providers have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in ensuring their services are not exploited by criminal enterprises. By proactively implementing safeguards, they can set a precedent for responsible satellite internet and technology deployment while maintaining the integrity of global communications.
Starlink Can Curb Southeast Asia’s Cyber Scam Industry – If They Choose
By Allison Pytlak Lead Author • Caitlin Goodman Co-Author
Emerging Technology
Michele, a dedicated law enforcement officer, found her life upended by a sophisticated cyber scam, which not only drained her finances but also shattered her professional credibility. “They’ve stolen my credibility. The trust people have in me. What this uniform stands for. Who I am as a human.”
These cyber-enabled scams, which often begin with a simple message—a romantic interest, an investment opportunity, or a bank security alert—are escalating globally due to technological advances that allow criminal enterprises to evade law enforcement. This form of financial fraud and cyber-enabled crime, is on the rise, frequently making global headlines. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and Feedzai estimate that nearly a quarter of Americans were scammed in 2023, with total losses reaching $159 billion, or approximately 0.6% of U.S. GDP.
And now, a new revelation: Starlink’s technology is being used by cybercriminals, further enabling fraud operations worldwide. This development highlights a growing challenge for cybersecurity and raises the question of how we hold technology providers accountable while addressing the complex transnational nature of cybercrime.
The satellite internet system Starlink was launched in 2019 by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband access globally, especially in remote or underserved regions. In places like Sudan and Ukraine, it has become a vital lifeline for coordinating emergency assistance, military defense, and humanitarian services or, in others, to get around government-imposed internet shutdowns. Paradoxically, the same features that make Starlink appealing to legitimate users—its portability, lack of centralized infrastructure, and ability to function without reliance on national telecom networks—also make it an attractive tool for cybercriminals.
Over the past several years, online scam operations have proliferated across Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia affecting individuals worldwide. The Myawaddy area of Myanmar has been called the “global capital” of scams, with estimates suggesting the city is home to around 40 scam compounds and some 300,000 scammers.
A recent Wired report revealed that scammers operating in at least eight scam centers on the Myanmar-Thailand border have been found exploiting Starlink to conduct cyber-enabled fraud. Between November 2024 and February 2025, mobile phone connection data showed over 40,000 logins to Starlink from known scam centers. Benedikt Hofmann, the Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime explained that there are a growing number of vendors openly advertising Starlink access as a “solution for online scam operators” on Telegram-based markets. Ironically, Starlink users were themselves the targets of a phishing campaign seeking to steal user data in late 2024.
“I believe that SpaceX must have the capacity to stop this problem,” Rangsiman Rome, a member of Thailand’s House of Representatives and chair of a parliamentary committee on national security, said in Wired. In early February, Rome publicly called on Elon Musk to act saying criminals are “exploiting Starlink for massive fraud” and said Musk has yet to respond.
Erin West, founder of the anti-scam nonprofit Operation Shamrock, further emphasized the issue: “Starlink is an American company, and it is the backbone for how these bad actors are able to access Americans. Our own technology is being used against us.”
Challenges in Combatting Global Cybercrime
Despite increased media attention and law enforcement efforts, stopping scam operations remains a significant challenge. Cyber scams fall into a legal gray zone—blurring the lines between financial fraud and cyber-enabled crime and sitting both outside and in-between legal frameworks as diverse as those applying to trafficking, money laundering and cybercrime. The scale of the problem is exceeding capacity to meaningfully respond. The transnational nature of these cyber scams complicates enforcement, as victims are often in one country while perpetrators operate from another.
Moreover, many of the individuals operating these scams are victims themselves. Criminal syndicates engage in human trafficking and modern slavery, luring people with fake job offers only to coerce them into scam work under the threat of violence. In February 2025, a joint operation between Thai, Chinese, and Myanmar authorities led to the rescue of over 7,000 individuals who had been held captive in scam compounds.
However, the lack of a coordinated international response further exacerbates the problem. In the U.S., multiple agencies—including the Department of Justice, the FBI, the National Security Council, and the State Department—are taking steps to combat cyber scams, yet no single agency has the mandate or resources to lead a consolidated effort. Some countries like Thailand and Singapore have implemented aggressive crackdowns on criminal groups or formed focused anti-scam command centers. Others, including the U.S. and Canada, lag in developing comprehensive anti-scam strategies. Some of these countries have adopted preventive measures such as establishing whitelists for legitimate financial services advertisers or working with telecom companies to block international inbound calls that spoof a domestic number.
Starlink can take meaningful steps to prevent the misuse of its technology. While Starlink was designed to expand internet access globally, its misuse by cybercriminals calls for immediate action and raises important questions about the role and responsibility of technology providers and platforms to prevent bad actors from exploiting their technologies. Starlink could institute more robust processes for violations of its Acceptable Use Policy, or implement stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) policies for Starlink terminals, and require proper identification and verification for buyers, in order to make it more difficult for scammers to obtain and use the service anonymously. Some have called for SpaceX to simply turn off service in known scam centers or to introduce real-time monitoring and anomaly detection systems that flag suspicious activity, such as multiple logins from known scam regions or unauthorized resales of Starlink hardware. Collaboration with international law enforcement agencies would further enhance its ability to disrupt illicit operations.
Policymakers and technology companies must coordinate their response. Addressing cyber-enabled scams requires urgent and coordinated action from both governments and the private sector. With the increasing role of platforms like Starlink enabling fraud, technology providers must recognize their responsibility and be held accountable for ensuring their services do not empower criminal enterprises. This is equally true of social media and financial services platforms where false personas and accounts are established, and online scams flourish. Policymakers must coordinate implementation of stronger tech industry regulations to prevent the misuse of satellite and internet services and work with other private sector providers to go after the tools of the trade: malicious ads, spoofed phone calls or text messages, and fraudulent websites.
Governments can strengthen enforcement and protection efforts. Combatting cyber-enabled scams demands strong cooperation between countries to enhance intelligence sharing and cross-border prosecutions. Domestically, the U.S. could establish a dedicated cyber scam task force across U.S. agencies to coordinate responses and protect vulnerable citizens, while also supporting anti-human trafficking initiatives that target the root causes of forced scam labor.
As cyber-enabled crime and fraud continue to evolve, so must our responses. Without decisive action, the global cyber scam epidemic will only worsen, draining billions from economies and further exploiting the vulnerable. Given the growing culpability of platforms like Starlink in facilitating online fraud, technology providers have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in ensuring their services are not exploited by criminal enterprises. By proactively implementing safeguards, they can set a precedent for responsible satellite internet and technology deployment while maintaining the integrity of global communications.
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