International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime

  The growth of cyber scam centres around the world is fuelling a global human trafficking crisis on a scale and organizational complexity rarely seen since the height of the transatlantic slave trade. In just a few years, hundreds of thousands of people have been transported into scam operations, many of them forced to perpetrate fraud under threat and in abusive conditions. Often hailing from countries with high unemployment rates or a surplus of tech-savvy graduates, those duped with promises of legitimate jobs may not match stereotypical images of a trafficking victim , leading both them, and those they come into contact with along their journey, to miss important red flags. But vulnerable people in unfamiliar settings, lacking support or access to their passports, are easier to manipulate, intimidate and control. Once they are inside the scam compounds where these operations are conducted, getting them out is difficult. Stopping victims from reaching compounds could be a f...

  Repurposed hotels, casinos, and private compounds across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines have become centres of global fraud . These compounds are operated by organized criminal networks that exploit hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom are trafficked and forced to perpetrate online scams. Victims include not only those defrauded online but also the scam workers themselves, subjected to threats, violence, sexual exploitation and extreme working conditions. The report details how cyber scams —including ‘pig-butchering’ romance-investment scams, crypto fraud, impersonation and sextortion— now generate tens of billions of dollars annually. These illicit operations thrive due to weak rule of law, widespread corruption, and complicity from powerful figures who operate as ‘role shifters’ —individuals who blur the lines between government, business and crime. Scam compounds often enjoy protection from local elites and security forces, and rely on global money laund...

  Cybercriminality , or cybercrime, is the use of computers and networks to commit illegal acts, such as fraud, theft, and harassment. These acts can range from exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems to hacking, phishing, and distributing malware, and can cause significant financial and reputational damage. Cybercrimes can be classified as cyber-dependent, where the crime is only possible with technology, or cyber-enabled, where technology is used to facilitate a traditional crime. Cybercrime is a growing global threat, causing trillions of dollars in economic damage annually. This report explores how Eastern Europe have become a significant hub for cybercriminal activity , fueled by historical legacies, economic disparities, and state connections. Analysis from East Asian States Observatories and European Observatories on Cybercriminality.

  Global Organized Crime Index - Asia - Asia/Pacific Observatories.

Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) involves numerous international criminal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering and cybercrime.