Exposing the online scam industry

The scam industry in Southeast Asia is not just a few isolated incidents but has developed into a complex and organized ecosystem. This is truly a scam pandemic capable of targeting anyone online, with an alarming economic scale.

This activity is multinational in nature, with scam compounds built like multi-story buildings where workers from many different countries - from Vietnam, Africa, India, and elsewhere - work under strictly controlled conditions. These areas are heavily guarded with multiple layers of security to prevent workers from escaping.

The ringleaders are often Chinese or Taiwanese, while Vietnamese and other nationalities typically take on lower or intermediary roles. Many of them started as victims who were trapped into working after being lured with promises of high-paying jobs.

The industry relies on:

• Stolen personal data to target victims
• IT technical teams to build and maintain scam websites
• SEO experts to help scam sites appear high in search results
• Networks of intermediary bank accounts for money laundering
• Sophisticated methods to attract victims, from "high-interest loans" to impersonating government agencies

From solo investigation to Chong Lua Dao (Scam Fighter)

The story of Chong Lua Dao began in 2020, when Ngo Minh Hieu (Hieu PC) returned to Vietnam after completing a 13-year sentence in the United States. With a background as a hacker who specialized in data theft, Hieu was determined to redirect his skills to protect internet users.

Initially, Hieu was alone in monitoring and investigating how the scam industry operated. When he noticed the spread of scams from Southeast Asia, he wanted to learn more about the reality behind the statistics. The deeper he went into the issue, the more he realized the enormous scale of this problem - a comprehensive economic system targeting global internet users.

Recognizing that he could not fight alone against such a complex network, Hieu decided to establish the Chong Lua Dao organization. Since then, the organization has grown into a network collaborating with many anti-fraud groups and companies worldwide.

Challenges in an uneven battle

The fight against the scam industry faces many major challenges:

• Moving targets: Scam operators are increasingly sophisticated and constantly changing tactics. When one website is shut down, they quickly create a new one.
• Transnational structure: Operations are organized across borders, with operating centers in different countries, making it difficult to coordinate law enforcement efforts.
• Corruption and lack of cooperation: In countries like Cambodia and Myanmar, corruption limits the effectiveness of crackdown measures, and the lack of international cooperation reduces the impact of anti-fraud efforts.
• Easily accessible personal data: Scammers can easily purchase personal data from many online marketplaces, facilitating the targeting of victims.

Hieu emphasizes that no one can win this battle alone: "This problem is transnational, and a person like me can't do much alone. I can shut down a website or application one day, but the next minute they open a new one."

Community power in the fight against scams

One of Chong Lua Dao's most important achievements is building community platforms with over 20,000 members. These communities play an essential role in:

• Information sharing: Victims can report scams and share information about suspicious websites or messages.
• Quick verification: Users can check whether a link or message is a scam or not.
• Data collection: Information is compiled to map new scam trends and improve detection capabilities.
• Victim support: Providing guidance for those who have been scammed and connecting them with appropriate resources.

Chong Lua Dao has also helped rescue some victims trapped in scam compounds by connecting them with anti-trafficking organizations and law enforcement agencies.

Looking to the future

Hieu believes that a sustainable solution requires global cooperation: major powers like the United States and China, along with the United Nations and international law enforcement agencies like Interpol and Europol need to act together.

Large technology companies like Google and Meta are also beginning to take this issue more seriously, deploying AI solutions to detect and remove fraudulent content on their platforms.

Chong Lua Dao continues to grow, currently building a new website to encourage more victim reporting and provide better tools for internet users to protect themselves.

"As their methods become increasingly sophisticated, global cooperation is the only way we can defeat this monster, but we need to act faster," Hieu concludes.

This article is based on an interview with Ngo Minh Hieu, founder of Chong Lua Dao and expert investigator of cyber threats.