Powerful crime syndicates in Southeast Asia are using the messaging app Telegram to conduct large-scale illicit activities, according to a new report by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The report highlights how encrypted platforms like Telegram have transformed the way organized crime operates, allowing criminal networks to trade hacked data and cybercrime tools with little oversight.
The UNODC report sheds light on Telegram’s role in facilitating the exchange of stolen data, such as credit card details, passwords, and browser history, across sprawling channels that lack moderation.
Criminal tools, including deepfake software and data-stealing malware, are also widely sold on the platform.
Unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges operating on Telegram further provide money laundering services to these networks.
A specific example from the report highlights a Chinese ad boasting about moving $3 million in stolen USDT per day, signaling the scale and sophistication of these operations.
The UNODC warns that underground data markets are shifting to Telegram, with sellers actively targeting transnational crime groups in the region.
Southeast Asia has become a hub for cybercriminal activities
Southeast Asia has become a key hub for these criminal activities, largely driven by Chinese syndicates operating from heavily secured compounds staffed with trafficked workers.
These networks, responsible for fraudulent schemes affecting victims globally, are estimated to generate between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually.
This report comes amid growing scrutiny of Telegram, particularly after its founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in Paris in August.
Durov faces charges related to criminal activity on the platform, including the spread of illicit content.
His arrest has sparked a debate about the responsibility of tech platforms in curbing illegal activities and balancing free speech with law enforcement.
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