The U.S. Treasury Department launched a new webpage on Friday to receive tips related to financial crimes, coinciding with sanctions imposed on a Burmese armed group and associated companies linked to cyber scams targeting Americans. The webpage, spearheaded by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), aims to bolster efforts to combat online fraud and illicit financial activity, according to Investing.com.
The sanctions, announced by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on November 12, 2025, target the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and four of its leaders. OFAC alleges the DKBA supports cyber scam centers operating in Burma that defraud U.S. Citizens through fraudulent investment schemes. Also sanctioned were Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Company Limited (Trans Asia), Troth Star Company Limited (Troth Star) and Thai national Chamu Sawang, identified as having ties to Chinese organized crime and collaboration with the DKBA in establishing these scam centers.
“Criminal networks operating out of Burma are stealing billions of dollars from hardworking Americans through online scams,” stated Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. “These same networks traffic human beings and help fuel Burma’s brutal civil war. The Administration will keep using every tool we have to go after these cybercriminals—wherever they operate—and to protect American families from their exploitation.”
The Treasury Department’s action was conducted in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) San Diego field office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the criminal division of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Alongside the sanctions, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, in conjunction with the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the USSS, announced the formation of a Scam Center Strike Force.
The revenue generated by workers at these scam centers – many of whom are themselves victims of human trafficking – is reportedly used to support organized crime and finance the DKBA’s activities. The U.S. Government’s move comes as it continues to grapple with the increasing sophistication and scale of cyber fraud originating from Southeast Asia.
In a separate but contemporaneous development, the U.S. Treasury Department reported a $9.5 billion budget deficit in January, a decrease of $3.4 billion, or 26%, compared to the same period last year, according to Infoquest. This deficit reduction is attributed to increased tax revenue.
