SpaceX’s satellite internet arm, Starlink, has deactivated over 2 500 terminals linked to scam compounds in Myanmar, following mounting evidence that its technology was being exploited by cybercrime networks enslaving thousands of trafficked workers, many of them from Africa.
In a LinkedIn Post last night, Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX’s head of Starlink business operations, said the move was part of a wider crackdown on the misuse of the internet service.
“SpaceX complies with local laws in all 150 markets where @Starlink is licensed to operate. We continually work to identify violations of our Acceptable Use Policy… In Myanmar, for example, SpaceX proactively identified and disabled over 2 500 Starlink Kits in the vicinity of suspected scam centres,” she wrote.
Dreyer assured that Starlink is working with global law enforcement to curb the misuse of its affordable Starlink technology that has been rolled out in at least 24 African countries and is planned to launch in another 26 countries by the end of 2026.
“We are committed to ensuring the service remains a force for good,” she said.
SpaceX’s decision follows international outrage over the explosive growth of scam compounds operating along the Thai–Myanmar border. According to The Guardian, more than 100 000 people are believed to be trapped in these “cyber scam factories”, forced to run online fraud and romance scams that generate billions in illicit profits.
Among those trafficked are young Africans lured by fake job offers promising lucrative careers in Thailand, only to be trafficked across the border into Myanmar. Once inside, they are detained, beaten, and coerced into working for Chinese crime syndicates running online.
Earlier this year, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Africa were among the African countries affected that reported cases of nationals being lured to Myanmar’s notorious cyber slavery factories. Just last month, 43 South Africans were rescued from one such compound after diplomatic efforts coordinated by Pretoria.
The successful raid forced Clayson Monyela, South Africa’s head of public diplomacy to advise, particularly young people, to be cautious of unverified foreign job offers.
“Some of these job opportunities are being promoted by influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Human trafficking syndicates are luring people into all sorts of illegal activities under slave-life conditions. If something looks too good to be true, get a second opinion,” he said.
Similarly, Myanmar’s junta recently retook control of KK Park, one of the largest known cybercrime compounds, freeing more than 2 000 workers and seizing around 30 Starlink terminals. Images showed the satellite dishes mounted on rooftops, providing internet connectivity that powered global scam networks.
Owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has long marketed Starlink as a tool to connect the world’s unconnected. But this latest incident shows how transformative technologies can be repurposed by criminals.
As Dreyer warned, “the same technology that can provide immense benefits has a risk of misuse.”
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