Within these compounds, which often have close ties to Chinese organized crime networks and online gambling syndicates, victims are generally coerced into working tirelessly to defraud numerous individuals concurrently. This includes executing long-term investment frauds that have allowed criminals to amass as much as $75 billion in recent years. Those who fail to comply with the demands are frequently subjected to physical abuse or torture. For many, escaping or paying a ransom is their only pathway to freedom.
Robust internet connectivity is essential for these operations to thrive—from initially targeting potential human trafficking victims through fraudulent job advertisements to ongoing scamming and money laundering. Palm Naripthaphan, a senior adviser at Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), indicates that scam centers along the border have traditionally relied on mobile connections from telecom providers in Myanmar or Thailand. They can also tap into fiber-optic cables in Thailand or stretch them across the Moei River, Naripthaphan notes. He suspects that Starlink has increasingly played a role in these operations.
The satellite system owned by Musk consists of several components. Over 6,000 Starlink satellites orbit the Earth, delivering internet access to white, rectangular dishes (known colloquially as Dishy McFlatface). Some of these dishes are portable and easy to deploy, providing a vital internet connection where other options are sparse, including in conflict zones like Ukraine.
Starlink is not officially approved in Myanmar, which has been caught in a violent civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, and there are reports that the military junta has banned the service. The company’s coverage map does not list any serviceable areas in the country. Nonetheless, this has not hindered the use of Starlink terminals in Myanmar, where they are employed to bypass regular internet shutdowns.
“It’s really the best option available,” asserts David Eubank, the founder of the Free Burma Rangers, a Christian organization providing humanitarian assistance and monitoring human rights violations in Myanmar. His group utilizes around 80 Starlink systems for coordinating humanitarian efforts, emphasizing that a sweeping ban would be detrimental. “If you can identify users abusing the system, you should penalize them, but don’t outright shut down the entire network.”
Within eight known scam compound areas—KK Park, Tai Chang, Dongmei, Huanya, UK Compound, Gate 25, Apolo, and Shwe Kokko—mobile phones have reported thousands of instances of connecting to Starlink’s networks in recent months, based on data reviewed by WIRED. An analysis indicated that at least 412 devices registered Starlink as their internet provider across these compound locations from November to February, according to an analyst privy to location data from the online advertising sector. In total, there were 40,800 recorded instances.
“Last summer, when I was collecting data and noticed Starlink emerging, I was taken aback. Nowadays, I would be astonished if I analyzed data from a compound and it didn’t feature at least one Starlink connection,” says the analyst, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on discussing their tools publicly. At every compound they have examined, they report finding data indicative of Starlink usage.
The analyst utilized an ad-tech tool, which they opted not to disclose, to examine regions surrounding known scam compounds for records of mobile phone activity. The obscure data broker market sells highly specific information gathered from apps installed on user devices. The tool employed by the analyst reveals a phone’s IP address, geographic coordinates, and the internet service provider in use. The extensive results for the compounds identified internet and cell providers from Thailand, Myanmar cellular carriers, remote servers, and Starlink, according to the analyst.
At KK Park, one of the largest and most notorious scamming hubs, at least 127 devices logged 24,000 Starlink connections over a span of three months. Overall, 2,907 devices were active in the vicinity, though approximately 800 of these did not provide any identifiable carrier information, the analyst elaborates.
