Huge online scam operations are flourishing in war-torn Myanmar – I travelled there to find out why

By Xu Peng, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for the Study of Illicit Economies, Violence and Development, SOAS, University of London

South-east Asia has become the “ground zero” for the global online scamming industry, according to the UN, costing victims billions of US dollars each year. Scam operations are run by Chinese crime syndicates from fortified compounds in countries like Myanmar, which has been embroiled in a nationwide armed conflict since 2021.

The size of the scam industry has led to sustained security crackdowns in recent years. This has included a number…

Read complete article

~	Tattoos, toxins and the immune system – what you need to know before you get inked

~	What if we taxed what people spend, not what they earn?

~	Treasure the emotional connections to the clothes you have and style could be a whole lot more sustainable

~	Do marathons damage your heart? Decade-long study finally settles the debate

~	Whether it’s a ‘productivity puzzle’ or the ‘British disease’, the UK economy has been underperforming for decades

~	How testosterone went from prostate cancer villain to potential ally

~	The Taliban may not like Peaky Blinders, but its Afghan fans are part of a long history of cultural engagement with the world

~	Two-way electric vehicle charging at scale could stop renewable energy being wasted – here’s how it works

~	Top climate books to look out for in 2026 – recommended by experts

~	The evolution of digital nomadism: from hi-tech hacker spaces to crypto coworking