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   Cyberscam groups who stole $10 billion from Americans sanctioned by US   
      
   Date:   
   Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:00:00 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   Almost two dozen groups and individuals sanctioned by the OFAC for scamming    
   US citizens.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   The US Department of Treasury sanctioned multiple scam organizations that   
   defrauded American citizens out of $10 billion last year, alone.    
      
   In an announcement posted on September 8, it was said that the groups ran   
   several large operations in Southeast Asia, mostly in Burma and Cambodia.    
      
   Not only did they trick people through various romance scams and fake   
   investment opportunities, but they are also engaged in forced labor, human   
   trafficking, and physical violence.   
      
   Two dozen targets    
      
   Funds lost to these scams are up 66% year-on-year, the US government said,   
   stressing the importance of the imposed sanctions.    
      
   Southeast Asias cyber scam industry not only threatens the well-being and   
   financial security of Americans, but also subjects thousands of people to   
   modern slavery, said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and   
   Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.    
      
   In 2024, unsuspecting Americans lost over $10 billion due to Southeast   
   Asia-based scams and under President Trump and Secretary Bessents leadership,   
   Treasury will deploy the full weight of its tools to combat organized   
   financial crime and protect Americans from the extensive damage these scams   
   can cause.    
      
   Nine targets affiliated with the Karen National Army (KNA) in Burma are now   
   sanctioned by the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), together   
   with 10 targets located in Cambodia.    
      
   The full list can be found on this link . In short, they include individuals   
   controlling the property that hosts scam centers, various KNAs officials and   
   holding companies, energy suppliers that power different scam centers,   
   founders of money laundering operations, real estate companies, and more.    
      
   Being placed on OFACs blacklist means individuals and entities have their   
   assets under US jurisdiction frozen and cannot access US banks, hold accounts   
   in dollars, or move money through the US financial system.    
      
   It also means US citizens, companies, and organizations are not allowed to do   
   business with sanctioned individuals and entities, and in some cases, it    
   could mean visa denials and international watchlisting.    
      
   Many non-US banks and businesses also avoid sanctioned individuals, even if   
   theyre not legally bound, because dealing with them can trigger penalties or   
   loss of access to the US market.    
      
    Via BleepingComputer   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/cyberscam-groups-who-stole-usd10-billio   
   n-from-americans-sanctioned-by-us   
      
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