S1E8: How former scam victims run Global Anti Scam Organization and fight scams worldwide

Synopsis: This is a special-edition podcast series by The Straits Times to raise greater public awareness of the modern scourge of scams in Singapore and globally. In Singapore, nearly $1 billion has been lost by scam victims since 2016. Mutating and spreading, different types of scams have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from romance to work. The police are cracking down on offenders. What can you do to protect yourself? In the series’ eighth episode, ST’s deputy news editor Andre Yeo, crime correspondent David Sun and journalist Jessie Lim speak with Mr Brian Bruce, chief of operations at Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso), who is in charge of its investigations team. During the episode, Mr Bruce warned about pig butchering scams which combine tactics used in love and investment scams.   Mr Bruce also mentioned how Gaso - formed in June 2021 - works with government agencies in South-east Asia to secure the release of human trafficking victims duped into working for scam syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:40 What the Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso) does to tackle scams worldwide 3:11 How Mr Bruce lost US$200,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam in September 2021 9:03 How the pig butchering scam works and its impact on victims  17:57 Scam syndicates in South-east Asia and their recruitment tactics  20:05 How scam victims can recover psychologically from a scam  22:26 How Gaso works with US and South-east Asian law enforcement agencies to secure the release of those lured into working for scam syndicates  Read ST's Stop Scams articles: https://str.sg/wWt9 Anti-Scam Hotline: 1800-722-6688 (9am - 5pm); https://www.scamalert.sg/ National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am); https://ccs.org.sg/nch/ Produced by: Andre Yeo ([email protected]), Jessie Lim ([email protected]), David Sun ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh Edited by: Teo Tong Kai Follow Stop Scams podcast series here: Channel: https://str.sg/wuZB Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3e Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJj Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wE7S SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Andre Yeo's articles: https://str.sg/wWtC  David Sun's articles: https://str.sg/wWty Jessie Lim's articles: https://str.sg/wWtF --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u  In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt  COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE  Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7  Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN  Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf  Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m  Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE  #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad  Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX  --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa  --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2  Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn  Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB  Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa  --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  #stopscamsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.