Satellite Images Reveal How Suspected Scam Compounds Appear Out of Nowhere

Satellite images show at least 25 suspected scam compounds in Myanmar’s Myawaddy area were newly built or sharply expanded over the past six months.

The growth came despite military raids and destruction of some sites last year, suggesting the crackdown has had limited impact.

The compounds are linked to transnational fraud networks using trafficked workers for online, crypto, and romance scams.

The findings underscore how quickly scam infrastructure can be rebuilt in conflict zones near the Thailand border.