UNODC: Asia-Pacific online scams hit US$114B

A UNODC report finds that transnational online scams in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand caused victims to lose up to US$114.1 billion in 2025, more than triple the 2023 losses. Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia and Myanmar, has become a regional hub for fake romance and cryptocurrency investment schemes, with authorities under pressure from the US, Britain and China cracking down and extraditing scam bosses from Cambodia to China. The broader criminal economy in the region—encompassing online scams, drug trafficking, human trafficking and illicit finance—has grown increasingly integrated and technologically sophisticated, challenging traditional law enforcement. China, South Korea and Taiwan were among the countries reporting the largest scam losses in the region in the past two years. Despite enforcement efforts, the UNODC notes a shifting landscape where organized crime operates across multiple illicit markets and targets a global audience. The trend underscores the need for coordinated regional governance to curb the rapid expansion of cyberscams and protect victims globally.