FBI: US playing a key role in targeting Southeast Asia’s scam operations

A senior official from the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the United States is taking a leading role in confronting the sprawling scam operations across Southeast Asia that are costing Americans billions of dollars each year.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Scott Schelble, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s International Operations Division, shared insights following visits to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, where he toured several suspected scam facilities.

Schelble said the true scale of these operations only becomes clear when seen firsthand, describing them as industrial-level fraud centers largely run by Chinese-led criminal networks that have rapidly expanded throughout the region.

He warned that international borders will not shield criminals who target US citizens. According to Schelble, American authorities are actively tracking those behind the schemes and intend to hold them accountable, regardless of where they operate.

“These groups are exploiting technology, weak regulations and vulnerable people to generate massive profits,” he said, adding that Americans are being targeted daily by highly organised and well-funded criminal enterprises.

Schelble noted that the syndicates operate across multiple jurisdictions, often evading justice by taking advantage of differences in national laws. This, he said, allows them to function with relative freedom unless countries work together.

As part of its response, the FBI has stationed agents in Thailand to collaborate with local law enforcement through a joint anti-scam task force. The partnership has already helped disrupt networks, identify victims and strike at the financial systems that sustain the fraud operations.

The FBI has also previously worked with Cambodian authorities and is seeking to build on those efforts, while discussions with Vietnamese officials have been described as constructive.

Emphasising the cross-border nature of the problem, Schelble said tackling scam compounds requires strong regional cooperation. The goal, he stressed, is to make every country in the region a hostile environment for such criminal operations to survive.