Criminal syndicates operating across Southeast Asia defrauded people in the Asia-Pacific region of at least $88 billion in 2025, according to a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which warned that organised cybercrime networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to dismantle.
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The report estimates that scam-related losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand ranged between $88.3 billion and $114.1 billion last year, making cyber fraud one of the region’s largest criminal industries.
UNODC said criminal groups are rapidly adapting to law enforcement crackdowns by relocating operations, exploiting corruption, expanding into new regions and increasingly using artificial intelligence to target victims more effectively.
According to the report, many scam compounds are based in Southeast Asia and are often staffed by trafficked foreign nationals forced to participate in online fraud schemes under harsh conditions. Authorities have identified victims from at least 80 countries and territories inside these compounds.
The agency noted that recruitment efforts have expanded beyond Asia, with criminal networks seeking individuals who speak German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian and English as they target new international markets.
UNODC said recent enforcement actions in countries such as Myanmar and Laos have forced syndicates to relocate operations to East Timor, Pacific island nations and parts of Africa rather than shutting them down completely.
The report also highlighted growing concerns over the use of emerging technologies, warning that criminal organisations are expected to adopt advanced “agentic AI” systems capable of autonomously identifying victims, conducting social engineering campaigns and facilitating cryptocurrency theft and money laundering.
Officials said these networks now operate like multinational businesses, offering specialised services including money laundering, migrant smuggling, human trafficking and illegal data trading through interconnected criminal networks.
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UNODC urged governments to strengthen international cooperation, improve anti-corruption measures and modernise law enforcement capabilities, warning that existing responses are struggling to keep pace with the scale, sophistication and global reach of organised cybercrime.