Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is rapidly emerging as a new tool for transnational scam networks across Southeast Asia. In Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, Starlink connections are being used to establish “scam cities” — hubs for romance scams, investment fraud or “pig butchering,” illegal online gambling, cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, forced labor, drug smuggling, kidnapping for ransom, and illegal banking operations. The misuse of this technology has now become a growing concern for Bangladesh as well.
According to a 2024 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these scam networks in Southeast Asia swindled between $18 billion and $37 billion in 2023. In a warning issued on September 12, the UN agency said the criminal groups are relocating their bases to Timor-Leste and other countries under pressure from law enforcement crackdowns and increased media scrutiny. However, so far, no significant incidents of scams involving Starlink have been reported in the region.
Cybersecurity and information technology experts are expressing concern over the potential risks of similar online scams in Bangladesh. They urge early preventive measures, including enhancing the technological capacity of law enforcement agencies and establishing local ground stations for Starlink to ensure better monitoring.
Online scams in Bangladesh have recently become more diversified. The most common schemes involve mobile banking and e-commerce fraud, where victims are tricked through phishing links, fake customer service numbers, or malware. Social media hacking, romance scams, and fraudulent loan apps are also on the rise. Many victims have been lured into fake investment and online job offers, while students are increasingly targeted through gaming-related scams involving fake “skins” or top-up purchases. Online gambling and betting sites have also become a growing concern, as users are enticed to deposit money before the sites vanish overnight.
On October 20, Myanmar’s military conducted a raid in the KK Park area along the Thai-Myanmar border, seizing 30 Starlink receivers and related equipment. More than 2,000 people were arrested during the massive operation. KK Park is known as a major hub for online scams and gambling syndicates. Although Starlink is not officially licensed in Myanmar, its presence in the country has grown rapidly since mid-year.
According to data from the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), Starlink was barely visible among Myanmar’s top internet sources before February. However, from July 3 to October 1, it became one of the country’s dominant internet providers almost daily. International media reports have published photos showing rows of Starlink dishes mounted on rooftops in KK Park.
In August, police in Timor-Leste’s Oecusse region also seized Starlink devices in a hotel raid. Similar scam operations have been detected in Sihanoukville of Cambodia, and in the Golden Triangle region of Laos.
Among the most common tactics used by these networks is the romance scam, where perpetrators establish fake romantic relationships online before kidnapping or extorting money from victims. Another prevalent scheme is “pig butchering,” or investment fraud, in which scammers gain victims’ trust by showing small profits over time, only to swindle large sums later. These scams are often disguised as cryptocurrency or online trading opportunities. Criminal groups also lure victims with fake online betting platforms, gaming schemes, or digital coin investments, collecting funds before disappearing.
In many cases, young people are trafficked under the pretense of employment and then held captive inside these scam compounds, forced to work under threat. Their passports are often confiscated, and those who fail to meet daily targets face physical abuse. The United Nations has described this as a new form of “digital slavery.”
Scam syndicates have been increasingly relying on Starlink for three main reasons.
First, as a satellite-based internet service, it operates independently of local telecom or fiber networks. That means even if a government shuts down internet access, Starlink connections remain active.
Second, it provides a significant advantage in evading law enforcement and intelligence surveillance. Since Starlink’s data traffic moves through international satellites, it bypasses local tracking and logging systems. This makes it far easier for scam centers to conceal their locations.
Third, Starlink offers flexibility and mobility. The equipment is compact and portable, allowing users to set up a connection anywhere with electricity. As a result, even after police raids, these syndicates can relocate and resume operations within hours. Experts warn that the limitations of existing law enforcement frameworks have made this satellite technology a “safe haven” for online scam networks.
A recent analysis by the Global Initiative, an international research and policy group, found that these networks rarely stay in one place. When law enforcement pressure increases in a particular area, they swiftly relocate their infrastructure to new regions. Data shows that increased surveillance in traditional hotspots across Southeast Asia has pushed these syndicates to seek new territories.
Experts say these Southeast Asian criminal networks now target victims across Europe, the United States, and Africa. However, there have been no significant reports yet of similar Starlink-based crimes in Bangladesh or other South Asian countries. In India’s northeastern region, Starlink has been used to bypass internet blackouts, but not for scams. Still, since Bangladesh falls under the same satellite coverage zone, cybersecurity experts fear local fraud networks could adopt the technology in the future.
Sumon Ahmed Sabir is a veteran in Bangladesh’s ICT sector and has worked on cybersecurity and internet governance issues for nearly three decades. Speaking to Bonik Barta, he said, “Online scams of different kinds have long been happening in Bangladesh. Recently, such frauds have surged across South Asia. Since Starlink can be set up anywhere, scammers can easily use it from any location. Of course, banning Starlink isn’t a solution. The key is to identify the sources. The government must prioritize this issue, conduct prompt investigations, and ensure that offenders face justice. When scams are run from abroad, international cooperation must be strengthened. It’s also crucial to increase collaboration with Starlink itself to prevent such misuse of its devices.”
Information technology experts say that if Starlink establishes a ground station in Bangladesh, detecting fraudulent activity would become much easier. Local ground stations allow authorities to access metadata such as terminal usage time, location, and data traffic patterns — making it possible to identify regions showing unusual or suspicious activity. They add that with a ground station in place, the government and law enforcement agencies could act swiftly in collaboration with the operator.
Abdullah Al Jaber, director of the local ethical hacking organization Cyber 71, told Bonik Barta, “At present, Bangladesh’s ability to trace cybercrimes committed using Starlink is still limited. Fraud rings become active every few months, and if they switch to satellite-based connections, tracking them will be even harder. There are already plans to set up a Starlink ground station in Bangladesh. Once that’s in place, terminal identification, metadata analysis, and quick response will become much easier. Bangladesh should prioritize establishing a ground station and strengthening collaboration with Starlink.”
In Bangladesh, cybercrime investigations are primarily handled by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police. The specialized agency operates a Cyber Crime Center that investigates and analyzes digital crimes such as money laundering, blackmail, pornography, and online fraud.
When asked, CID’s Special Superintendent (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan told Bonik Barta, “Cyberspace has no borders, so the risks are global. The easier internet access becomes, the greater the risk of cybercrime—not only in Bangladesh but anywhere in the world. Police remain alert to prevent all forms of malicious activity. We verify any complaint following proper protocol and take necessary action. Public awareness is also crucial. Citizens should avoid suspicious links or calls and immediately report such incidents to law enforcement.”