The U.S. Department of Justice has seized a fake investment website tied to a Burmese scam compound responsible for large-scale cryptocurrency fraud targeting Americans.
Quick Summary – TLDR:
- U.S. authorities seized the domain tickmilleas.com, which was used by scammers in Burma to defraud Americans through fake cryptocurrency investments.
- The domain was part of a broader operation run by the Tai Chang scam compound, linked to Chinese organized crime and armed groups in Southeast Asia.
- Victims were tricked into investing real cryptocurrency through a site mimicking a legitimate platform.
- This action is part of the newly launched Scam Center Strike Force, targeting transnational crypto fraud operations.
What Happened?
The FBI San Diego Field Office, in partnership with the Department of Justice and other agencies, took down a website used in an elaborate cryptocurrency investment fraud. The seized domain, tickmilleas.com, was operated from the Tai Chang scam compound in Burma, which is reportedly affiliated with organized crime networks and armed militia groups. The move is one of the first major actions by the Justice Department’s new Scam Center Strike Force.
🚨The domain had been used by scammers located at the Tai Chang scam compound (aka Casino Kosai) located in the village of Kyaukhat, Burma. This domain seizure comes less than three weeks after the announcement of the launch of the Scam Center Strike Force and the seizure of two… pic.twitter.com/QyzGdbRm5D
— U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) December 2, 2025
Fake Investments and Real Losses
The website tickmilleas.com was designed to mimic a professional cryptocurrency investment platform. Victims were lured through dating apps, social media, and text messages, where scammers built virtual relationships and gradually introduced fake investment opportunities. Once convinced, victims were guided step-by-step through the process of transferring funds into what they believed were growing crypto portfolios.
- The site showed fake profits and deposits to build trust.
- Victims were walked through fake trades while scammers faked activity on the platform.
- Despite the site being registered only in November 2025, several victims had already lost money within the first few weeks.
The domain was connected to a criminal network operating out of Casino Kosai in Kyaukhat, Burma, and linked to the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand, both of which were recently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for connections to Chinese organized crime and scam compound development.
Multi-Agency Operation Targets Scam Infrastructure
The seizure of tickmilleas.com follows two similar domain seizures just weeks earlier. This operation was spearheaded by the Scam Center Strike Force, a coalition involving the FBI, DOJ Criminal Division, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices from Washington D.C. and Rhode Island.
As part of the investigation:
- The FBI alerted Google and Apple about scam-linked mobile apps, which have since been voluntarily removed.
- Social media giant Meta removed over 2,000 fake accounts tied to the scam compound.
- A splash page now appears on the seized domain warning potential victims that the site is fraudulent and under law enforcement control.
Meanwhile, FBI agents have been deployed to Bangkok, working alongside the Royal Thai Police in a joint effort to dismantle scam compounds like Tai Chang and others across Southeast Asia.
Billions in Losses and Human Trafficking
These schemes, often referred to as “pig butchering” scams, are said to be responsible for nearly $9 to $10 billion in losses for Americans annually. The name comes from the way scammers build trust and fatten up their victims before financially gutting them.
But the damage goes beyond financial fraud:
- Many scam workers are actually human trafficking victims, held captive in these compounds under the threat of violence.
- Scam operations are so massive in parts of Southeast Asia that they reportedly contribute to nearly half the GDP in some regions.
In 2024 alone, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 41,000 complaints about cryptocurrency investment fraud, totaling approximately $5.8 billion in reported losses.
SQ Magazine’s Takeaway
Honestly, I find this crackdown long overdue. It’s wild how convincing some of these scam platforms can be, especially when they’re propped up by entire criminal networks. I’m glad to see U.S. authorities not only shutting down websites but also going after the root of the problem. The scam compounds and organized crime networks behind them. It’s also a huge deal that tech companies like Google, Apple, and Meta are finally stepping up in coordination with law enforcement. This isn’t just about protecting money. It’s about protecting lives and cracking down on global human trafficking rings.
