'Much needs to be done to rein in the global cyberscam industry'

A general view of Yangon, Myanmar's skyline.

A general view of Myanmar's largest city, Yangon

(Image credit: Taylor Weidman / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

published 10 February 2025

'Myanmar's scam centers require a global response'

The Washington Post editorial board

Scammer compounds are "run by Chinese criminal syndicates mostly based in Myanmar's lawless border regions," but "so far, little coordinated effort has been made to stop them," says The Washington Post editorial board. Since "no central U.S. agency exists specifically for victims to report cyberscams, there's little reliable data." A "global approach would be even more effective." Since "Americans and Chinese are the primary victims, Washington and Beijing should cooperate to combat the syndicates."

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.