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Scams and swindles

Scams and swindles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Scams and swindles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Police officers escort Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica in March 2024. Photo: AP
United States

‘Crypto king’ Do Kwon gets 15 years in prison for misleading investors

The South Korean founder of Terraform Labs had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from a US$40 billion stablecoin crash.

Mainland China

Video | China extradites scam suspects from Myanmar

Trending in China

China public servants use face masks to bypass facial recognition machines, skip work

Trending in China

China prankster injures girlfriend by accident, fakes car crash for insurance cash

Argumentative couple stage ‘accident’ in remote location but their ill-conceived criminal scheme unravels when police step in.

A Chinese man and his girlfriend are facing possible imprisonment after they faked a car accident in a bid to secure an insurance payout. Photo: ifeng
Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Letters | Cambodia is confronting the scourge of online scams head-on

Readers discuss the cross-border effort targeting the syndicates behind Cambodia’s scam farms, Malaysia’s first fully home-grown EV, and the investigation into the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong.

Thailand

‘Everyone gets a cut’: why Southeast Asia’s scam industry refuses to die

Authorities are seizing assets and raiding compounds, but analysts warn the clumsy crackdown is merely scattering syndicates to new hideouts.

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Hong Kong society

Editorial | Persistence of scams targeting students in Hong Kong shows need for vigilance

Stronger enforcement and publicity of anti-fraud measures are necessary to uphold the city’s allure as a hub for education.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong holds an information day for prospective students at its campus in Sha Tin on October 11. Photo: Edmond So
India

Cyber scams threaten confidence in India’s outsourcing industry

Fraudsters leveraging India’s cost advantages and skilled workforce create a systemic risk for legitimate businesses, analysts warn.

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Trending in China

Chinese man hides 2 gold bars in chilli sauce jar, sends to ‘friend’ for investment

Patient questioning by woman police officer leads elderly man to reveal details of stock trading racket; victim finally gets his money back.

Singapore

How a husband’s secret life between Singapore and Malaysia was exposed

Ng Teong Min, jailed for bigamy, shed tears in court and pleaded guilty to deceiving his first wife for 30 years, and fathering two more children.

A Singaporean man lived a double life secretly marrying in Malaysia and having two children, until his bigamy was discovered and he was jailed. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Editorial | After mourning fire victims, Hong Kong must slowly recover and rebuild

Hongkongers have shown their compassion, solidarity and perseverance in the wake of the Tai Po tragedy. With time, the city shall overcome.

People arrive at the Kwong Fuk sitting-out area and lay flowers to mourn the victims and pay tribute to the affected residents in the Wang Fuk Court fire tragedy on Monday. Photo: Elson Li
Trending in China

China consumers use AI to alter product photos, claim refunds for ‘damaged’ goods

‘Immoral’ online buyers create fake discrepancies across range of products; experts warn AI bandits that they could be committing fraud.

Trending in China

Chinese homeless man fakes wealth, hires women for companionship, lives luxury life

Chen regularly visits upscale venues, always with different women, whom he has convinced to cover all expenses.

Myanmar

Political show? Why Myanmar is again cracking down on cyber scammers

Myanmar’s junta has been under pressure to raid fraud hubs by China as its citizens have been badly affected by these scammers, analysts say.

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White smoke billows after an explosion at KK Park online scam centre in Myawaddy, Myanmar, on October 25, Photo: AP
South Korea

Seoul sanctions Prince Group chairman Chen Zhi in Cambodia crime crackdown

Chen Zhi, the chairman of the Prince Group, is accused of overseeing scam compounds that detained dozens of South Koreans.

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Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi. Photo: Prince Holding Group
Trending in China

Chinese man marries woman 4 hours after blind date, spends US$34,000 in a month

Huang says she typically would not respond when he reached out, but whenever she did, it was always about money.

Thailand

Thailand to curb repeat visa-free entries amid rise in scams, illegal work

Around 2,900 foreigners have been barred by Thailand so far this year due to their multiple short-term entries.

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Thailand

Bangkok prison chief suspended over Chinese inmate sex scandal

Thai prison chief suspended amid scandal over Chinese inmates receiving illicit privileges, including alleged sex service visits.

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Thailand suspends a prison boss over alleged privileges for Chinese inmates. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Fugitive Jho Low’s sister and associate ordered to pay US$2.8 billion to 1MDB

The judge noted that May Lin and associate Eric Tan failed to appear in court, resulting in a massive default judgment in the ongoing 1MDB suit.

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Singapore

Singapore orders Apple, Google to stop fake government message scams

Police told the tech giants to block spoofed government accounts on iMessage and Google Messages to tackle rising fraud threats.

Singapore

Standard Chartered faces US$2.7 billion 1MDB suit in Singapore

The lawsuit alleges Standard Chartered enabled acts of fraud leading to US$2.7 billion in losses over a decade. The bank plans to appeal.

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The Standard Chartered logo on tower one of the Marina Bay Financial Centre in Singapore. Photo: Harvey Kong
South Korea

Former South Korean rock star implicated in US$136 million fraud scheme

Kim Jae-hee, a former member of Boohwal, used his public profile to encourage people to join the Ponzi scheme, police say.

Kim Jae-hee was Boohwal’s fourth vocalist. Photo: Facebook/Kim Jae-hee
Science

Chief scientist at China’s top warship-building research institute detained

Jiangsu University of Science and Technology says it has fired Guo Wei over the accusations of academic misconduct.

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Human trafficking

Video | Ex-Philippine mayor Alice Guo gets life term for human trafficking

The verdict comes at a time when Asean leaders have expressed alarm over rising cybercrimes perpetrated by transnational gangs.

The Philippines

Alice Guo gets life term for human trafficking linked to Philippine scam hub

The verdict comes at a time when Asean leaders have expressed alarm over rising cybercrimes perpetrated by transnational gangs.

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Alice Guo attends a hearing at the Senate in Manila over accusations of human trafficking in September 2024. Photo: AFP
Asean

Asean unifies under single extradition treaty to fight organised crime

The treaty is expected to plug major cooperation gaps by creating uniform rules across a region struggling with cybercrime and trafficking.

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The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has named Southeast Asia the “ground zero” for what it estimates is a multibillion global online scamming industry. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Cambodian tycoon linked to scam empire owned luxury condo in Tokyo

The Prince Holding Group boss, who is accused of running a conglomerate built on cyberscam operations, visited Japan frequently.

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US-Asean relations

What US anti-scam ‘strike force’ means for Southeast Asia’s cybercrime fight

Analysts say the US initiative can serve as a coordination blueprint to push back against transnational criminal enterprises.

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