Online, robocall, and other call scams are well-coordinated and often operated by criminal organizations based overseas. These scams primarily target older Americans.

Biocatch, a biometric company, conducted a recent study revealing a significant surge of 200% in call scams between 2022 and 2023. These scams are conducted by "call center gangs" located in Southeast Asia, engaging in various illegal activities, including investment fraud and human trafficking.

“These organized cybercriminal entities conduct a variety of scams,” the Biocatch report found, “including tech support, romance, and investment frauds, often targeting victims internationally and exploiting legal jurisdictional complexities to evade consequences.”

“The disconcerting link between these scams and human trafficking is hard to ignore,” Biocatch warns. 

Further, it added, “Amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, unsuspecting victims lured with job offers are detained in these call centers. Criminal rings are shifting from sex trafficking to human trafficking for scam call centers, with a higher profit margin in cybercrime.”

The primary objective of these scams is to deceive individuals into providing them with money or personal information. It is advised to disregard any unsolicited calls, text messages, or emails received.