Abandoned Scam Hubs Show Industrial-Scale Deception

Abandoned scam compounds near the Thai-Cambodian border, meticulously designed to resemble police offices, have been revealed as hubs for industrial-scale fraud. These operations have defrauded victims globally of billions of dollars. Chinese authorities have intensified efforts, executing at least 15 members of two major scam mafias operating in Myanmar earlier this year.

The site, known as Royal Hill, was recently bombed by the Thai military during a border conflict and subsequently occupied. Documents found at the location detailed victim profiles, including personal information and bank balances of targets like a 73-year-old Japanese retiree who was contacted by someone impersonating an electricity company representative.

Southeast Asia has become a focal point for the global cyber-fraud industry, with compounds often run by Chinese criminal gangs and staffed by trafficking victims. Recent crackdowns in Cambodia, prompted by foreign governments like the United States, have led to an exodus of over 100,000 people from these compounds, creating a humanitarian crisis as many seek help to return home.