Latest news with #FunnullTechnology
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OFAC Sanctions Philippines-Based Tech Company For Facilitating Pig Butchering Schemes
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned a Philippines-based tech company, Funnull Technology Inc., for providing the computer infrastructure for 'hundreds of thousands of websites' involved in pig butchering scams, according to a Thursday press release from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). OFAC also sanctioned Liu Lizhi, a Chinese national working as Funnull Technology's administrator. According to the press release, Funnull Technology has directly facilitated more than $200 million in losses from scam victims in the U.S. Of those victims, the average losses per individual were over $150,000. 'Today's action underscores our focus on disrupting the criminal enterprises, like Funnull, that enable these cyber scams and deprive Americans of their hard-earned savings,' said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender in the press release. 'The United States is strongly committed to ensuring the continued growth of a legitimate, safe, and secure digital asset ecosystem, including the use of virtual currencies and similar technologies.' Pig butchering schemes are a type of crypto investment scam in which the victim is groomed over a long period of time, akin to a pig being fattened up before the slaughter, before being pressed to contribute large amounts of money into a fraudulent crypto investment. The scams are often but not always romantic in nature, and often begin with an unsolicited text. The majority of the scams are organized by criminal organizations in Southeast Asia, who use victims of labor trafficking — essentially slaves, kept in terrible conditions — to carry out the scams. Last year, OFAC sanctioned a wealthy Cambodian businessman, Ly Yong Phat — along with several of his businesses and hotels — for his role in pig butchering-associated human trafficking and to OFAC, Funnull Technology supplies cybercriminals with IP addresses, purchased in bulk from cloud service providers worldwide, which are then used to host scam platforms and other malicious web content. These websites and domain names are crafted to mimic trusted websites, tricking the victims into believing their investments are legitimate. Liu allegedly 'possessed spreadsheets and other documents containing information about Funnull's employees, their performance, and their progress on tasks,' OFAC's press release said. 'These tasks included assigning domain names to cybercriminals, including domains associated with virtual currency investment fraud, phishing scams, and online gambling sites.' In placing Funnull Technology and Liu on the Specially Designated Nationals list (SDN), OFAC is barring all U.S. persons – including citizens overseas and residents living in America – from transacting with them in any way.
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Philippine tech firm sanctioned by U.S. over $200 million romance scam network
MANILA: Punitive action has been taken by the United States against a Philippine technology corporation located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) for purportedly playing a vital role in an expansive global online deception scheme called 'pig butchering.' According to a recent SCMP report, Funnull Technology Inc., together with Chinese national Liu Lizhi, was targeted by the U.S. Treasury Department for allegedly supplying the digital set-up used to host more than 332,000 domains associated with bogus cryptocurrency investment sites. 'Pig butchering' scams exposed in global operation According to U.S. representatives, these fake platforms victimised defenceless persons by engaging in illusory online relationships before coercing them into spending money on fake crypto arrangements. Victims lose an average of more than US$150,000, with total losses going beyond US$200 million. 'This is a ruthless, calculated form of exploitation,' said Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. 'We will go after those who misuse virtual currencies and internet services to perpetrate fraud and other crimes.' See also Opponents of coup in Myanmar call for more large-scale protests Tech infrastructure used to evade detection The FBI, which has been probing into Funnull and tracking its movements since January, disclosed that the firm bought bulk IP addresses from key cloud providers and sold them back to defrauders. These were utilised to host con websites and escape exposure by hastily spinning domains and IP addresses. Funnull also received widespread media coverage and in cybersecurity circles after obtaining a JavaScript library extensively used by developers. Soon after, experts at Silent Push and Sansec cautioned that sites using Polyfill code were rerouting users to hostile domains hosted on Funnull's network. The U.S. Treasury noted that Funnull is associated with the common crypto scam websites reported to the FBI and had a 'critical enabling role' in their rampant spread. Liu Lizhi, purportedly one of the overseers of the manoeuvre, controlled inside documents that proved Funnull workers were assigned to distribute domains for use in phishing, fake investment schemes, and gambling activities. Calls for local investigation amid regulatory gaps Funnull, listed with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission in 2021, has its operations from the 14th floor of the Net Cube Centre in BGC, a government-designated 'cyberpark' giving tax inducements. This has triggered fear among tech regulators and transparency activists. 'This operation was likely based out of a shared or co-working space, which makes it easier to stay under the radar,' said Dominic Ligot of and Data Ethics PH. 'Scam operations often choose prestigious business locations to project legitimacy.' Ligot and other specialists have complained about the absence of strong regulatory implementation in the Philippines, inferring that weak monitoring, exploitation, with a nominal inspection permit sham businesses to thrive. A high-ranking industry insider, speaking incognito, suspected that some government bureaucrats may have been enticed to favour Funnull's business licenses. The source called for the conduct of a thorough inquiry into public officials who approved the firm's registration and operating certificate. See also Police arrest man involved in hotel booking scam Presently, neither the Philippine government nor the city of Taguig has issued statements in response to the U.S. sanctions. The FBI has advised victims to come forward as the investigation continues.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US sanctions Philippine tech firm over ‘pig butchering' scams that took US$200 million
A Philippine tech company has been sanctioned by the United States for allegedly enabling online romance scams known as 'pig butchering', which US authorities say led to more than US$200 million in losses reported by victims linked to the company's infrastructure. Advertisement Funnull Technology Inc, a content delivery network provider based in Metro Manila's upscale Bonifacio Global City (BGC) district, was sanctioned last week by the US Treasury Department, along with Chinese national Liu Lizhi, described as one of its administrators. According to the department, Funnull's infrastructure supported more than 332,000 domain names linked to websites masquerading as legitimate cryptocurrency investment platforms. These platforms were part of a global network of online scams that 'systematically targeted and exploited vulnerable individuals', US officials said. On average, victims lost more than US$150,000 each, the treasury said. Pig butchering scams typically involve trafficked workers assuming fake identities to lure victims into online relationships. Photo: Handout Tammy Bruce, spokeswoman for the US State Department, said the US 'will go after those who misuse virtual currencies and internet services to perpetrate fraud and other crimes'.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US sanctions Philippine tech firm over ‘pig butchering' scams that duped victims of millions
A Philippine tech company has been sanctioned by the United States for allegedly enabling online romance scams known as 'pig butchering', which US authorities say led to more than US$200 million in losses reported by victims linked to the company's infrastructure. Advertisement Funnull Technology Inc, a content delivery network provider based in Metro Manila's upscale Bonifacio Global City (BGC) district, was sanctioned last week by the US Treasury Department, along with Chinese national Liu Lizhi, described as one of its administrators. According to the department, Funnull's infrastructure supported more than 332,000 domain names linked to websites masquerading as legitimate cryptocurrency investment platforms. These platforms were part of a global network of online scams that 'systematically targeted and exploited vulnerable individuals', US officials said. On average, victims lost more than US$150,000 each, the treasury said. Pig butchering scams typically involve trafficked workers assuming fake identities to lure victims into online relationships. Photo: Handout Tammy Bruce, spokeswoman for the US State Department, said the US 'will go after those who misuse virtual currencies and internet services to perpetrate fraud and other crimes'.
Reuters
29-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US sanctions Philippines digital infrastructure provider linked to virtual currency scams
WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury is placing under sanctions a Philippines-based company accused of providing internet infrastructure to a swathe of virtual currency investment scams, better known as "pig butchering." In a statement, opens new tab issued on Thursday, Treasury officials said they were taking action against Funnull Technology Inc., which they accused of buying internet protocol addresses in bulk from other service providers and reselling them to cybercriminals. An alleged administrator of Funnull, Chinese citizen Liu Lizhi, was also placed under sanctions. Reuters could not immediately locate contact information for Liu, who the Treasury described as being 40 years old and linked to addresses in Shanghai and Ganzhou. A message seeking comment from Funnull was not immediately returned. Reuters' attempt to locate Funnull in the Philippines' corporate registry was unsuccessful. Virtual currency investment scams - which typically work by convincing people to put their money into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes - have become a billion-dollar industry, run by organized crime and fueled by human trafficking. The scams often rely on bogus websites to swindle their victims, and earlier this year researchers from cybersecurity firm Silent Push tied Funnull to a network of such sites, opens new tab, along with thousands of other devoted to suspected gambling or money laundering. Pig butchering scams, which originated in China, now target people worldwide. Earlier this year, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis said revenues from the scams were at a record high, likely boosted by the use of generative algorithms to help scammers better tailor their pitches and talk to more people at a time.
