UK pledges funding to dismantle Southeast Asia scam centres, strengthen child online protection

The United Kingdom has pledged financial support to help dismantle transnational scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia as part of a wider campaign against organised crime and online fraud.

The commitment was announced at the United Nations Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi.
In its national statement, the UK said it would provide financial support between 2026 and 2031 to target scam compounds and strengthen international cooperation against fraud.

The government said criminal networks increasingly operate across international borders and rely heavily on digital technology, making cooperation between law-enforcement agencies increasingly important.
Britain also announced an additional £1.5 million investment in initiatives tackling organised crime.
That £1.5 million should not be described as the specific budget for Southeast Asian scam centres, as the UK statement presented it as a separate broader organised-crime investment.

UK plans stronger protections for children online
The British government also pledged new measures aimed at preventing children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images on smartphones and tablets.
The government said effective protections would be introduced on devices, with legislation considered if technology companies fail to comply voluntarily. GOV.UK
The measures form part of a wider effort to address technology-enabled abuse, particularly violence and abuse targeting women and girls.

The UK also plans to gather evidence on online misogyny and image-based abuse to identify new forms of harm and determine how authorities should respond.
Officials said the rapid expansion of online crime meant investigators increasingly depend on access to digital evidence.
The government also highlighted artificial intelligence as a technology that could help improve justice systems, while stressing the need for safeguards involving human rights, public trust and the rule of law.