Musk called to action. Starlink fuels the expansion of cyber fraud centers

The Starlink satellite Internet, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is used on a massive scale by cyber fraud centers in Myanmar (Burma), which extort millions of dollars from victims around the world, the AFP agency reported on Tuesday, based on its own findings. Despite the action aimed at liquidating them, the centers are still growing.

Satellite photos and drone footage analyzed by the agency show that Starlink antennas are being massively installed on buildings in vast complexes around the town of Myawaddy on the border with Thailand after they were cut off from the traditional Internet. Although the service is not officially licensed in Burma, according to APNIC registry data, Starlink has basically become the main network access tool there since the beginning of July.

SpaceX declines to comment

SpaceX did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

In response to these reports, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress informed the agency about initiating an investigation into Starlink's role in criminal activities. The commission has the power to summon Elon Musk for questioning.

As AFP points out, the expansion of the centers comes just a few months after China, Thailand and Myanmar forced China, Thailand and Myanmar to commit to their “complete liquidation” in February. Although as a result of the services' actions, approximately 7,000 were released. people, mainly Chinese citizens, the construction of new facilities started almost immediately.

According to the agency, between March and September in the largest complex, KK Park, dozens of buildings were erected or rebuilt, new roads were added and checkpoints were significantly expanded. There are also at least five new ferry crossings supplying centers from Thailand.

Consent to nefarious acts?

Up to 120,000 people may be staying in such centers, described by the UN as places of human trafficking and forced labor. people. People who worked there testified in interviews with the agency that they were beaten and forced to work long hours to extort money from victims around the world. As a result of the activities of these syndicates, Americans alone lost over $10 billion last year, the US Treasury Department reported.

American politicians and activists are calling on Musk to act. Senator Maggie Hassan called for the service to be blocked for such fraud centers, and Erin West, head of the Operation Shamrock group, said it was “disgusting that an American company would allow this.” (PAP)

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