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Scam

Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds
By Ling Li and Ivan Franceschini and Mark Bo
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Brief Description
Fuelled by the widespread immiseration caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and facilitated by the boom in cryptocurrencies, online frauds have grown exponentially in recent years. From the infamous ‘pig butchering’ romance scams to sophisticated online extortion ploys, phony crypto schemes, and other investment scams, Southeast Asia... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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An in-depth investigation of Southeast Asia’s online scam industry and its human toll.

An in-depth investigation of Southeast Asia’s online scam industry and its human toll.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Fuelled by the widespread immiseration caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and facilitated by the boom in cryptocurrencies, online frauds have grown exponentially in recent years. From the infamous ‘pig butchering’ romance scams to sophisticated online extortion ploys, phony crypto schemes, and other investment scams, Southeast Asia has rapidly emerged as a global hub for a host of cybercrime operations targeting individuals all over the world.

Based on years of engagement in the field, Scam offers an in-depth look into the rise and inner dynamics of the online scam industry, exposing the appalling situation of the individuals who toil in conditions akin to modern slavery in hundreds of ‘scam compounds’ that have mushroomed all over the region. What are the origins of this industry? Who is behind these operations? How do people end up in them? How is their labour organised? How do they manage to get out?

These and other questions are at the centre of this investigation that will bring readers to the core of one of the least-known humanitarian crises of the twenty-first century through the voices of some of its survivors.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781804296905

Publisher: Verso Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 July 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Verso Books

Edition: Paperback original

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 257g

Pages: 224

Collections

Computing & Technology Education & Reference Ivan Franceschini Ling Li Mark Bo Non-Fiction Politics & Current Affairs

About the Author

Ivan Franceschini isa lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His expertise lies in the field of labour rights, with a specific focus on China and Southeast Asia. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People’s Map of Global China / Global China Pulse. His latest books include Xinjiang Year Zero (2022), Proletarian China (2022), and Global China as Method (2022). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021).

Ling Li is a project manager at HumanityResearch Consultancy. She provides support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

Mark Bo is a civil society practitioner who has been based in East and Southeast Asia since 2006. He works globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia’s online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries.

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