What the Hack Podcast | The scam industry relies on “special economic zones” and fortified scam compounds where human-trafficking victims are forced to target people in scams. It’s a world of organized crime and corrupt politicians that steals billions of dollars every year and has created an economic crisis. Listen to the first episode of a three-part investigation into Southeast Asian scam compounds and scam industry targeting all sectors of society.

Host Beau Friedlander spoke with people who’ve been tracking this crisis, including:

Jacob Sims, a Harvard fellow on transnational crime who’s been inside the compounds and seen them firsthand.
Apiradee Thienthong, who works with trafficking survivors in Thailand and fights for recognition that many scammers are themselves victims.
Gary Warner of DarkTower and Intelligence for Good studies cybercrime and human trafficking at the systems level, tracking how hundreds of facilities operate across Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
Erin West, former prosecutor and founder of Operation Shamrock, an organization focused on disrupting transnational crime with a focus on crypto scams.

Hundreds of thousands of people are held in scam compounds. No one knows the exact number. Some were kidnapped. Some are locals with no other options. Most answered misleading job ads and found themselves trapped and forced into modern slavery.

And shutting down these compounds isn’t simple when a country’s GDP depends on keeping the scam industry running in what can legitimately be called “scam nation states.”

Episode: Part 1: Asian Scam Compounds

Hear more from Erin West, Jake Sims, and Gary Warner on recent episodes of the Stolen podcast.

The Evolution of Crypto Investigations — Gary and Erin go in-depth into the evolving use of tech in scams, helping law enforcement, and new projects in the fight.

Taking Down a Scam Kingpin — Jake Sims joins Erin West to break down the unprecedented arrest and deportation of Chen Zhi, one of the most powerful scam kingpins operating out of Cambodia.

Meta, Scam Ads, and the First Scam-Driven Border Conflict — Jake talks about the Reuters report about Meta’s scam ad revenue, how the Thai-Cambodian border clash ties to scam compounds, and the loss of USAID.

Inside the Indictment that Exposed Cambodia’s Scam State — Jake explains how the U.S. indictment of a Cambodian tycoon exposed a global scam empire built on trafficking, corruption, and stolen crypto.