August 2, 2025 | 11:11 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Maggie Hassan, a U.S. senator, has urged Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, to take immediate action against transnational criminal groups in Southeast Asia suspected of using Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, to carry out large-scale online fraud targeting U.S. citizens.
Senator Maggie Hassan, as quoted from the Times of India, highlighted the increasing significance of Starlink in supporting the operations of "scam compounds" run by criminal syndicates in countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.
According to data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the fraudulent network has caused the American public to lose billions of U.S. dollars. Furthermore, the global losses related to online fraud originating from Southeast Asia are estimated to exceed $43.8 billion each year, with US citizens bearing the largest share of these losses.
According to The Cyber Express, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan emphasized that despite SpaceX having service terms that allow for the termination of access based on fraudulent activities, the Starlink service appears to still be active in the regions where these criminal activities are rampant. She urged Elon Musk to comply with the company's internal policies and take responsibility by terminating illegal access.
More than just digital operation centers, these compounds are also reportedly locations of modern slavery and human trafficking. Several reports, including those from the United Nations, revealed that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked and forced to work in these facilities to carry out various complex online fraud schemes.
The schemes include phishing, fake investment offers, and digital extortion, targeting victims in the U.S. and various other countries.
"This fraud, often carried out by forced labor, can also cause profound psychological distress that drives victims of scams to suicide," wrote Senator Maggie Hassan in her letter.
Countries in the region have taken several steps to suppress these activities. For example, since February, Thailand has cut off electricity and internet access in border areas with Myanmar, particularly in Myawaddy, a city known for its online fraud rings. However, satellite services like Starlink can circumvent the traditional infrastructure cutoff, allowing fraudulent activities to continue despite local enforcement efforts.
This criminal network, which is largely connected to Chinese organized crime organizations, has also drawn international attention due to a few cases that have surfaced. One of them is the kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing in January. He was abducted upon arrival in Thailand and then successfully rescued by Thai authorities in border areas with Myanmar.
According to The Diplomat, remote satellite internet services like Starlink have been utilized by criminal groups to establish online fraud centers in remote areas of Southeast Asia, especially in the outskirts of Myanmar controlled by rebel groups. Although internet access is available in most areas, Starlink devices offer a portable solution that enables fraud operations to quickly relocate and evade a local authority's crackdown.
For example, in February, the government of Thailand cut off internet access, electricity, and fuel supplies to three areas on the border with Myanmar. This was done to shut down several online fraud centers operating in those areas.
However, restricting Starlink's use in Myanmar could impede communication access for civilian groups and political organizations that oppose the military junta in Naypyidaw.
Since the military coup in February 2021, the junta has enforced strict internet access restrictions and frequently shut down cellular networks. In this situation, satellite internet services like Starlink have become the primary means by which opposition groups can stay connected and communicate freely.
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