A new US-UK alliance to disrupt crypto scam centers was established through a memorandum between the U.S. Department of Justice, the District of Columbia US Attorney’s Office, England and Wales’ Crown Prosecution Service, and the UK National Crime Agency, enabling parallel investigations and coordinated prosecutions across borders.

The Scam Center Strike Force, expanded from the November 2025 initiative, now coordinates multiple US federal agencies and international partners to target Chinese-led criminal networks running fraudulent schemes in Southeast Asia.

International actions cited include a Dubai operation on April 29 that resulted in 276 arrests, the closure of several crypto scam centers, and charges against individuals using fake crypto platforms.

Victims are urged to report fraud to the FBI’s IC3 and to preserve transaction records, messages, and websites as crucial evidence.

Common scam methods involve pig-butchering schemes via unsolicited messages and fake investment platforms, often using coerced workers; warning signs include guaranteed returns, unsolicited offers, copied websites, and requests for passwords or recovery phrases.

Earlier enforcement actions disrupted over 1.4 million social media and email accounts and froze more than $3.8 million in cryptocurrency linked to laundering networks.

Authorities emphasize the overlap between scams, human trafficking, and money laundering, underscoring the cross-border scale of the threat.

Past actions include March directives and executive orders aimed at strengthening responses to foreign scam centers and identifying criminal networks for disruption.

Reports reference scam centers in Southeast Asia using fake profiles and AI-generated videos to deceive victims.

Officials stress cross-agency coordination, cross-border triage to determine jurisdiction, and collaboration with private sector partners for disruption and public awareness.

Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, is tightening penalties for digital currency fraud, signaling stronger regional enforcement and potential life or death penalties in extreme cases.

Myanmar and broader Southeast Asian regulatory actions reflect intensified enforcement against digital currency fraud with parallel legislative and policing measures.