US leadership in Southeast Asian scam center clampdown to continue, says FBI official

U.S.-led global efforts dismantling transnational criminal networks behind Southeast Asian scam compounds have been pledged by FBI International Operations Division Deputy Assistant Director Scott Schelble, who recently convened with Thai, Vietnamese, and Cambodian law enforcement to clamp down scam hubs across the region, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Multiple criminal networks have already been disrupted by the FBI and U.S. Justice Department in cooperation with the Royal Thai Police, resulting in victim discovery and infrastructure takedowns, said Schelble. With intensified scam operation crackdowns launched by Cambodia in the wake of U.S. sanctions against the Prince Group conglomerate, Schelble emphasized the importance of inter-country collaboration in thwarting such a threat.

"This is very much a regional issue that no one country can combat alone. It will require a partnered aspect and a coordinated aspect if we're going to properly take care of it," Schelble added.