Starlink satellite internet has become a popular option for people who cannot otherwise access traditional internet like cable or fiber. It has also been a key tool for crime syndicates in Southeast Asia looking to scam Americans.
SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, recently cut access to 2,500 Starlink satellites being used in notorious scam centers in Myanmar, the company said on Oct. 21.
The news comes a week after a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) revealed that the Musk-led company is currently under investigation by Congress’s Joint Economic Committee for its role in the scam centers.
“On the rare occasion we identify a violation, we take appropriate action, including working with law enforcement agencies around the world,” said Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX’s vice president of business operations for Starlink, in a post on X.
According to the Treasury Department, Americans lost more than $10 billion in 2024 to Southeast Asia-based scam operations, notorious for romance scams known as “pig-butchering.” By some estimates, these syndicates take in as much as $64 billion a year.
“The border region fraud factories are typically run by Chinese criminal syndicates, analysts say, often overseen by Myanmar militias given tacit backing by the Myanmar junta in return for guaranteeing security,” the AFP article says.
In February, a sweeping crackdown led by China freed as many as 7,000 scam-workers, who the AFP suspects are prisoners, from the Myanmar compounds. At the same time, Thailand cut power and internet services powering the scam centers in neighboring Myanmar. Soon after, the scam centers used thousands of Starlink satellites to fill that void.
According to the Asian regional internet registry, APNIC, Starlink did not have enough traffic in Myanmar to even make the list of the country’s internet providers before February. But after Thailand cut off other services, it quickly rose to the top. The APNIC data shows that it was the most used internet provider in the country every day from July 3 until Oct. 1.
This apparently got the attention of Congress. The AFP reports that the Joint Economic Committee opened an investigation into Starlink’s use in Myanmar’s scam centers in July.
“SpaceX has a responsibility to acknowledge any role that Starlink has played in facilitating scams emanating from Southeast Asia, and to block these criminals from using the service to target Americans,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, in a statement.
While Starlink is not officially licensed in Myanmar, the service is enabled worldwide by default, says satellite industry consultant Tim Farrar. But where it’s active is a bit of a geopolitical gray area.
“Starlink has resisted attempts by governments such as Iran, which has complained to the [International Telecommunication Union] seeking to have the service shut off, and in that case SpaceX has received active encouragement from the US government to provide service to dissidents using terminals smuggled into the country,” Farrar told in an email.
SpaceX did not respond to ’s request for comment.
How to protect yourself from scams
Be suspicious of unsolicited email, text or social media messages. Pig-butchering scams work by building trust with the target over weeks or even months. If someone reaches out who says they are overseas or can’t meet in person, proceed with caution.
Never send money to someone you don’t know in real life. No matter what reason they give, always treat someone asking you for money online with skepticism. Scammers may also ask for the key to your cryptocurrency wallet.
Research the person you’re speaking with. Anyone you’ve met online will likely have some sort of online presence. Check out their social media profiles to make sure it doesn’t smell fishy. You can also do a reverse-image search of any photos they provide to see if they check out.
As always, follow cybersecurity best practices. Take a moment to make sure you have passwords in place, use two-factor authentication and make sure your antivirus software, operating systems and apps are all up to date.
Report any crimes immediately. If you think you’ve been scammed, report it immediately to the FTC and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3.
