Jake Archibald O'

Escaping Scam City: Untangling the Human and Economic Cost of Cybercrime | Asia Summit 2025

Manisha Tank, Rafael Frankel, David Koh, Shibani Mahtani, Jacob Sims, Emily Fortuna, Shabani Singh Cassidy, Nicole Sinclair, Rafael Alvarez, Jake Archibald O'

Hundreds of militarized scam compounds in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos operate with state protection, creating a massive global criminal economy that enslaves tens of thousands of workers and generates billions in annual losses. Governments and tech firms like Meta have responded with sanctions, integrated command centers, and account takedowns, yet significant challenges remain due to limited US funding and sanctions that fail to address state-embedded actors. Experts warn that while total eradication is unlikely, coordinated diplomatic pressure at the upcoming ASEAN summit and heightened public vigilance are essential to blunt the industry's growth.