Ethical Hacking News
The US government has announced a new policy aimed at cracking down on overseas cybercriminals operating from countries such as China, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. The visa cancellation policy targets online scammers, sextortionists, and individuals involved in financially motivated cybercrime, sending a clear message that the US will take action against those who operate outside the law.
The United States government has announced a new policy to crack down on overseas cybercriminals operating from countries like China, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. The visa cancellation policy targets online scammers, sextortionists, and individuals involved in financially motivated cybercrime. The policy aims to send a clear message that the US government will go after those who prey on its citizens by restricting visa issuance to individuals involved in these criminal enterprises. The policy is part of the Biden administration's efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and combat online scams, working closely with international partners to share intelligence and best practices.
The United States government has announced a new policy aimed at cracking down on overseas cybercriminals who operate from countries such as China, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. The visa cancellation policy targets online scammers, sextortionists, and individuals involved in financially motivated cybercrime. This move is part of the Biden administration's efforts to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them.
According to a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the new policy will restrict visa issuance to individuals responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises. The policy uses authority provided by Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which already imposes restrictions on individuals seeking visas when their entry or proposed activity could lead to "serious adverse foreign policy consequences" for the US.
Rubio singled out Chinese transnational criminal organizations as a primary target of the new policy. However, it is essential to note that the scams are not necessarily being run from China, and the FBI's most recent annual report suggests that cryptocurrency investment scams are largely perpetrated by organized criminal enterprises based in Southeast Asia. The same report states that US investigators are pursuing Chinese organized crime affiliates operating in Cambodia, Laos, and Burma.
Financially motivated sextortion has a somewhat different geographic footprint, with perpetrators usually based in West Africa, including Nigeria and Ivory Coast, or Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines. The FBI's evidence shows how such networks can operate across borders, running scam centers in one country while recruiting or trafficking workers from others.
The policy aims to send a clear message that the United States will go after those who prey on its citizens. By restricting visa issuance to individuals involved in these criminal enterprises, the US government is taking a proactive approach to combating cybercrime and protecting American citizens.
It is worth noting that the US already has other ways to deny entry to convicted cybercriminals. Section 212(a)(2) of the INA can make foreign nationals ineligible for visas over convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude, a category that can include offenses such as fraud.
The new policy is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to strengthen cybersecurity and combat online scams. The US government has been working closely with international partners to share intelligence and best practices in combating cybercrime.
In recent years, the US government has taken various steps to crack down on cybercrime, including imposing sanctions on individuals and organizations involved in scams. The new policy is an extension of these efforts, aiming to disrupt the networks and operations of online scammers and their families.
The impact of the new policy will be significant, as it aims to send a clear message that the US government will take action against those who operate outside the law. By restricting visa issuance to individuals involved in cybercrime, the US government is taking a proactive approach to combating this growing threat.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Uncle-Sam-Cracks-Down-on-Overseas-Cybercrooks-Visa-Cancellation-Policy-Targets-Online-Scammers-and-Their-Families-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/07/24/uncle-sam-tells-overseas-cybercrooks-their-visas-are-canceled/5278212
Published: Fri Jul 24 08:00:14 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
