Interpol says romance, crypto scams in Southeast Asia are now a national security threat, fueling billions in losses

Interpol is warning that internet-based romance scams and sham investment offers are hitting victims on an unprecedented scale. The agency says many of these schemes are tied to organized criminal groups operating in parts of Southeast Asia and are pulling billions of dollars out of economies worldwide.

Malay Mail reported that Interpol official Nicholas Court, who heads the Taskforce Coordination Directorate, warned that the fraud threat has grown so severe that some governments see it as a national security issue.

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The comments came during the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, held in Phnom Penh on Sept. 23 and 24.

Court singled out digital-asset-related investment fraud as one of the most worrying developments. "We see a lot of different types of investment fraud, especially involving cryptocurrencies, that is becoming more prevalent. Romance fraud has existed for decades but is becoming worse because of the use of social media and dating apps and people using the internet to find love and romance," he told Malaysian outlet Bernama.

Interpol's second Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment put worldwide losses from financial fraud in 2025 at about $442 billion. Court said "millions of dollars are lost daily to fraud worldwide," adding that Southeast Asia is also feeling the impact.