Cybersecurity experts have identified specialized service providers that supply the infrastructure and digital toolkits necessary for criminal networks to operate large-scale investment scams. These providers lower the barrier to entry by offering everything from stolen personal data and social media accounts to automated software for managing victims and laundering stolen funds.
Since 2016, Chinese-speaking criminal organizations have established industrial-sized scam centers throughout Southeast Asia, often within special economic zones. These compounds are frequently staffed by victims of human trafficking who are lured by fake job offers, only to be held against their will and forced to conduct social engineering schemes under threat of physical harm. INTERPOL has described this ecosystem as a massive fraud industry powered by human exploitation on a global scale.
A critical component of this illegal economy is the rise of pig butchering as a service, which provides ready-made templates and mobile applications to scammers. These off-the-shelf offerings allow individuals without technical expertise to launch sophisticated operations, including the use of front companies and stolen identities. By purchasing these fraud kits, criminal groups can quickly scale their activities and bypass the need for building their own physical or digital infrastructure from scratch.
One prominent provider known as Penguin Account Store operates a model that sells stolen personal data belonging to Chinese citizens alongside credentials for various global social media and streaming platforms. This actor also supplies the physical hardware needed for scams, such as bulk SIM cards and specialized routers, as well as AI-driven management software designed to automate engagement with victims. Furthermore, they offer anonymous payment processing solutions that help criminal networks move stolen cryptocurrency beyond the reach of law enforcement.
Other essential services include centralized management platforms that allow administrators to oversee hundreds of individual agents and monitor their interactions with victims. These platforms provide templates for professional-looking investment websites that often integrate real-time financial data to appear legitimate. These sites even include identity verification features to gain the trust of victims while giving the scam operators total control over the fraudulent financial environment.
Source: Researchers Expose Service Providers Behind Large Scale Pig Butchering Fraud