Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan is in search of solutions from Elon Musk concerning the reported use of SpaceX’s Starlink expertise by felony teams operating scamming compounds in Southeast Asia.
In a letter on Monday addressed to Musk, the corporate’s CEO, Hassan requested data “about SpaceX’s efforts to forestall the misuse of Starlink in transnational fraud.”
In February, a Wired investigation discovered that at the very least eight rip-off compounds in Myanmar had been utilizing Starlink gadgets. Over about three months, cellphones reportedly logged connections to Starlink inside compounds greater than 40,000 occasions.
The felony hubs have proliferated all through Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar, and comprise 1000’s of trafficked employees who’re compelled to hold out internet-enabled scams like “pig butchering” — when a scammer develops a relationship with a sufferer to be able to con them out of cash. Scams originating from the area are estimated to have inflicted tens of billions in losses globally and $3.5 billion within the U.S. in 2023 alone.
Thailand has attempted to limit the illicit business by slicing off electrical energy and web flows to sure areas alongside the border with Myanmar and Cambodia the place compounds are clustered. The felony teams have tailored by utilizing Starlink, the United Nations Workplace on Crime and Medication said in April.
“Whereas SpaceX has acknowledged that it investigates and deactivates Starlink gadgets in numerous contexts, it seemingly has not publicly acknowledged the usage of Starlink for scams originating in Southeast Asia — or publicly mentioned actions the corporate has taken in response,” wrote Hassan, who represents New Hampshire. “A United Nations report has confirmed that SpaceX can limit entry to Starlink by ‘geofencing,’ making the service unavailable in particular nations or areas, however it’s unclear whether or not the corporate has carried out so in Southeast Asia.”
Hassan requested if the corporate is conscious of the experiences round Starlink and criminality within the area and requested for an evidence about SpaceX’s insurance policies round limiting entry to Starlink.
She additionally requested if the corporate has taken any motion “in response to … indications of misuse or improper distribution of Starlink gadgets by purchasers or third-party intermediaries based mostly in Southeast Asia” and what number of complaints the corporate has acquired round rip-off networks within the area. She requested a response no later than August 18.
SpaceX didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
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