US urges Elon Musk to prevent Starlink use by fraud networks in Southeast Asia

US urges Elon Musk to prevent Starlink use by fraud networks in Southeast Asia

In a significant development, a Democratic senator has demanded SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to take action against the misuse of Starlink satellite internet service by transnational criminal groups in Southeast Asia.

As reported by Reuters, Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan urged Musk to block access to Starlink for criminal organisations that are allegedly using the service to commit scams targeting Americans.

Senator Hassan cited investigative reports suggesting that Starlink is being utilised by organised criminal syndicates running large-scale scam operations, often referred to as "scam compounds," in countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.

These networks have reportedly defrauded American citizens out of billions of dollars through various online schemes.

Notably, the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has also confirmed that these operations pose a serious financial threat.

In a letter addressed to Musk, Hassan emphasised that SpaceX's terms of service allow the company to cut off users involved in fraudulent activity.

However, despite this policy, criminal operations in the region appear to maintain access to Starlink.

The senator urged the Musk-owned aerospace company to take greater responsibility and prevent its technology from being used to exploit innocent people.

Moreover, according to the United Nations (UN), many of these scam compounds force trafficked individuals to work in illegal online fraud rings, often under severe and inhumane conditions.