The Global Story The cities built on scamming us all
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Mar 26, 2026 
Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent and investigative reporter, gives on-the-ground reporting about scam centres, human trafficking and organized crime. He describes surreal fortified developments, how syndicates recruit and coerce workers, the vast money flows and laundering methods, and how regional politics and international pressure shape these illicit hubs.
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Shwe Kokko Is A Built Scam City
- Shwe Kokko is a purpose-built scam city on Myanmar's Thai border with high-rises, casinos, and Starlink dishes enabling large-scale online fraud.
- Jonathan Head visited the mirage-like complex built in under ten years and observed billboards claiming no trafficking despite armed guards and bars on windows.
Scam Compounds Operate Like Industrial Parks
- Scam compounds provide industrial-scale facilities and protection so syndicates can rent space and run highly profitable online fraud.
- Jonathan Head estimates the ecosystem earns tens of billions annually and uses infrastructure like Starlink for connectivity.
Weak States And Elite Collusion Fuel Scams
- Scams flourished where governance is weak or complicit: lawless zones in Myanmar and collusion with Cambodia's ruling elite.
- In Cambodia estimates suggest scam activity may account for over half the national economy, making enforcement politically fraught.