New weapon of fraud in Southeast Asia — ‘Starlink’; concern rises in Bangladesh too

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink has now become a new tool for fraud networks in Southeast Asia. Using this service, “scam cities” have emerged in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and East Timor where various crimes take place, including romance scams, investment fraud, online gambling, human trafficking, drugs and money laundering.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that in 2023 these scam networks stole between $18 billion and $37 billion. Under media scrutiny and pressure from law enforcement, the networks are now moving base to new areas including East Timor.

Although Starlink is not officially authorized in Myanmar, the military seized 30 receivers during a raid in the Keke Park area and arrested more than 2,000 people. According to the Asia Pacific Network Information Center, Starlink became Myanmar’s top internet source from July to October.

Scammers choose Starlink for three reasons: it does not rely on local networks, it helps avoid tracking, and it can be deployed quickly. As a result, operations can be run easily while evading law-enforcement attention.

Although there is not yet any information about scams in Bangladesh that used Starlink, cybersecurity experts warn that Bangladesh — being within the same satellite coverage area — could face increased risk in the future. The country has already seen a rise in frauds such as mobile banking scams, e-commerce fraud, romance scams, loan apps, gaming-skin fraud, and online gambling.

IT expert Suman Ahmed Sabir said, “It is not possible to shut down Starlink; rather we must increase our capability to identify sources and prevent attacks. The government should prioritize this issue and strengthen investigations and international cooperation.”

Abdullah Al Jaber, director of Cyber 71, said, “If a Starlink ground station is established in the country, fraud detection would become easier. That would make it possible to analyze terminal locations and data traffic.”

CID Special Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin Khan said, “Cybercrime is borderless. Police are always alert and take prompt action when complaints are received. But citizens must also remain aware.”

Experts say that if technical preparedness is not taken now, Bangladesh could become a target of these international fraud networks in the future.