Fuelled by the widespread immiseration caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and facilitated by the boom in cryptocurrencies, online frauds have grown exponentially in recent years. From the infamous 'pig butchering' romance scams to sophisticated online extortion ploys, phony crypto schemes, and other investment scams, Southeast Asia has rapidly emerged as a global hub for a host of cybercrime operations targeting individuals all over the world.
Based on years of engagement in the field, this book offers an in-depth look into the rise and inner dynamics of the online scam industry, exposing the appalling situation of the individuals who toil in conditions akin to modern slavery in hundreds of 'scam compounds' that have mushroomed all over the region. What are the origins of this industry? Who is behind these operations? How do people end up in them? How is their labour organised? How do they manage to get out? These and other questions are at the centre of this investigation that will bring readers to the core of one of the least-known humanitarian crises of the twenty-first century through the voices of some of its survivors.