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Scam
Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds
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...
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See moreAn 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.
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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
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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