In Myanmar's Karen State, Shunda Park, a scam complex disguised as a legitimate business park, defrauded individuals globally, generating illicit revenues through online scams beginning in 2024. The operation, located in a chaotic borderland region, housed over 3,500 workers from nearly 30 countries, some of whom were allegedly kidnapped and forced into participating in the fraudulent schemes.

The complex, which materialized rapidly, featured office spaces equipped with rows of computer monitors and motivational slogans, creating the facade of a thriving business environment. Video conference suites were staged with fake business books and art to mimic legitimate corporate settings, designed to deceive potential victims during online interactions. The scammers would celebrate successful scams by striking a Chinese gong each time they bilked 5,000 out of someone.

Shunda Park's location in a war zone provided a degree of protection and secrecy, allowing the operation to flourish with minimal oversight. The park's activities included a range of online scams, from romance scams to cryptocurrency fraud, targeting individuals from Kentucky to Kazakhstan. The financial impact of Shunda Park's operations is still being assessed, but authorities believe the total losses incurred by victims could amount to millions of dollars.

The rise of scam compounds like Shunda Park reflects a growing trend of transnational criminal enterprises exploiting weak governance and conflict zones to conduct illicit activities. Experts say that the lack of international cooperation and regulatory oversight has allowed these operations to proliferate, posing a significant threat to global financial security. Law enforcement agencies are working to dismantle these networks and bring the perpetrators to justice, but the challenges are significant, given the complex geopolitical landscape and the sophistication of the scams.