493 cases relative to children in relation to infamous fraudulent compounds

“There are restrictions on what we can see with these data, but what we have so far is accurate,” says Hintz. “In any case, I think that the scale of the problem undermines.”

The data obtained by the researchers is the only urgent photo of some of the alleged activities in relation to fraudulent centers. For example, the mobile data industry’s mobile data is incomplete, NCMEC data does not include all possible reports, and technical companies reporting data to NCMEC are likely to go to US companies.

IJM refers to numerous reports of fraudulent centers that are linked to a wider number of adults. The report does not reject that children are deliberately targeted with controversial crimes, but point out that children may also be trapped in designs targeted in adults if they use parents or other caregivers. Now that the study has shown a link, the researchers emphasize that further research is needed to strengthen the authorities’ understanding of the relationship between child and fraudulent compounds and determine whether children are specifically targeted. NCMEC immediately did not respond to Wired request for comment.

Scam, often run by organized Chinese crime groups, has exploded around Southeast Asia since 2019. Criminals have smuggled thousands of people from more than 70 countries into compounds, where they are usually captured, destroy their passports, and are forced to scam online. If they refuse, they can be beaten and brutal. Initially, by targeting Chinese speakers, the so -called “pork butchers” fraud centers along with various other forms of investment and romantic fraud. Criminals, with a widespread flow of illegal cash, have increasingly opened fraud in the Middle East, West Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. They have targeted frauds against people around the world and have changed people’s frauds.

John Wojik, a senior Asia threatening researcher at Infoblox Cyber ​​Security Company, says: “Cyber ​​-licensed fraud and cyber -schemes in Southeast Asia have quickly diversified business lines and targeting, increasing integration as well as malware, deep and pornographic in their operations.” The October 2024 report on the growth of fraudulent compounds from the United Nations Drug and Crime Office, partly by Wojcik, which was working in the organization, emphasized the increase in sextMation against adults and the use of artificial intelligence.

Wojcik says IJM research is in accordance with the reports of law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia that there was a “sustainable increase” in cases related to financial rates against children.

Hieu Minh NGO, a reformed criminal hacker and now a cyber crime researcher at the Vietnamese Non -Profit Chongluadao, says he has seen unique efforts for young people and adults in Vietnam over the past few years, and “this is a trace of the scam.” As attractive social media, they create the victims’ confidence, then force them to share sensitive images or videos. “He adds that the use of Deepfakes AI is also increasing.” This process targets clear links between organized regional and organized fraudulent compounds. “