Starlink a lifeline for Myanmar scam compounds, report

Myanmar-based scam compounds are reportedly using Elon Musk’s Starlink to connect to victims online, swerving efforts to crack down on the practice by Thai authorities earlier this year.

This is according to RTL Today, citing an AFP report.

AFP reportedly used satellite imagery to examine the compounds, some the size of small cities, in the Myawaddy region along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

The images show rapid construction, with a sharp increase in Starlink dishes beginning soon after efforts to curtail operations.

Read more: Thailand cuts power to Myanmar crypto scam center regions

In February, Thailand’s then Deputy Prime Minister Phutham Wechayachai announced that electricity, internet, and fuel supplies would be cut in the border region between the two countries.

Seemingly in response to the attempts to cut off scammers from victims, Starlink’s use in Myanmar skyrocketed.

In the month following the crackdown, local news reports from both Thailand and Myanmar mention seizures of Starlink equipment suspected of being smuggled for use in the compounds.

The APNIC Asia-Pacific internet registry shows SPACEX-STARLINK topping Myanmar’s list of internet providers from July to October. The latest data put Starlink second, with a 12.37% market share, behind Myanmar Country Co, with 13.7%.

The scam compounds hold tens of thousands of forced laborers, often lured from abroad with job offers before having their passports confiscated. Shortly after February’s crackdown, over 300 scam center slaves were freed from multiple compounds.

Romance scams and so-called “pig-butchering” are common, with scammers convincing victims to send money to what they believe to be a romantic partner or lucrative investment opportunity.

Last year, Chainalysis traced $100 million in USDT to a single pig-butchering operation at one of the larger sites, known as KK Park.

A raid at the location shortly afterward resulted in 1,200 workers freed.

Read more: Over 300 crypto scam center slaves freed after electricity shutdown

Washington takes notice

The US Treasury estimates that “unsuspecting Americans lost over $10 billion due to Southeast Asia-based scams” in 2024 alone.

The Guardian reports that a US congressional committee is investigating the role of Starlink, an American company, in the operations. Senator Maggie Hassan has urged Musk to “block criminals from using the service to target Americans.”