UNODC, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, has released a new study that talks about the troubling rise in cybercrime in Southeast Asia and the role of the messaging app Telegram. This is the agency’s second look into organized crime in the area. The first report they looked into was negative about Tether’s impact on local economies.
The most recent research shows that hacking cost between $18 billion and $37 billion in 2023, mostly because of large criminal organizations. The size of these losses shows that illegal activities are becoming more professionalized. Criminals can easily and cheaply get the tools and services they need for things like money laundering and making malware.
UN says criminal networks in #SouthEastAsia flourishing on Telegram.
— WION (@WIONews) October 7, 2024
Report highlights the app's dark side.@SinghBhairavi tells you more.#UnitedNations pic.twitter.com/P86HnomzUH
One important part of the study is the proof that shows more and more underground data markets are moving to Telegram. There is a lot of trade in stolen data on the app, such as private information, infostealers, and deepfake technology. With few rules in place, this setting puts user data at great risk and makes scams and other illegal activities more likely to happen.
The UNODC is also worried about the fact that Asian crime groups are still using stablecoins, especially Tether, for scams and money laundering that is done online. This trend shows how dangerous it could be for the region’s financial stability.
The results of the study are in line with the fact that Telegram and its CEO, Pavel Durov, are getting more attention after he was arrested in France for supposedly helping people do illegal things on the platform. There are serious charges against Durov, such as money laundering and helping to run an organized crime group. He could face a large fine or a long jail term.
