SpaceX says it has disabled over 2,500 Starlink devices in Myanmar that may have been used for online fraud



SpaceX, the space development company led by Elon Musk, deploys the satellite internet service

Starlink around the world. Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX's vice president of business operations, announced that the company has disabled over 2,500 Starlink devices in Myanmar that are suspected of being used for fraud.



SpaceX disables 2,500 Starlink terminals allegedly used by Asian scam centers - Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/starlink-blocks-2500-dishes-allegedly-used-by-myanmars-notorious-scam-centers/

In a post dated October 22, 2025, Japan time, Dreyer said, 'SpaceX complies with local laws in all 150+ markets where we are licensed to operate Starlink. SpaceX continually identifies violations of our Terms of Service and applicable laws.' 'If we identify violations, we take appropriate action, including working with law enforcement agencies around the world. For example, in Myanmar, SpaceX proactively identified and disabled over 2,500 Starlink kits around suspected 'scam centers.''

Dreyer did not explain how to disable the Starlink kit, but it is known that Starlink can disable individual devices based on their ID number or use geofencing to block signal reception in specific areas. Starlink does not have a license to operate in Myanmar.



Dreyer's post follows reports that Myanmar's military regime raided KK Park, the country's most notorious internet fraud hub, detaining around 2,200 workers who were being forced to commit fraud and seizing around 30 Starlink-related devices.

Myanmar military raids internet fraud bureau, seizes Starlink-related equipment | Jiji Press News

https://sp.m.jiji.com/article/show/3634537

The Associated Press reported that 'in a statement on Monday night, military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun accused officials of the Karen National Union, an armed ethnic group opposed to the junta, of being involved in the fraudulent KK Park project.' The Karen National Union , however, has denied any involvement in the fraud.

Myanmar has long been known as a hub for international internet fraud, and Agence France-Presse reported in October that satellite and drone imagery had revealed a fraud hub using Starlink near the Thai-Myanmar border.

Another report by Agence France-Presse said fraud centres near the Myanmar border are run by Chinese criminal organisations and overseen by militias who receive support from Myanmar's military junta in exchange for security.

These fraud rings typically use romantic advances or fake investment offers to gain the trust of their victims online, then recruit workers under the guise of legitimate jobs, before confining them to fraud centers and forcing them to commit phone and internet scams through threats and violence.



A report (PDF file) released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in October 2024 documented Starlink's use for fraudulent activities. The report states, 'Despite the strict monitoring and, in some cases, geofencing of Starlink usage, organized criminal groups appear to have found ways to circumvent existing security protocols to access the high-speed internet connections enabled by this portable technology in remote locations.'

In July 2025, Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan sent a letter to Musk calling for him to prevent the use of Starlink by international criminal organizations in Southeast Asia.

US lawmakers urge Musk to block Southeast Asian criminal organizations from using Starlink | Reuters
https://jp.reuters.com/world/us/6WNIPJMOVFOR7GP7JZUV3OLVKA-2025-07-29/

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