- Fraudsters in southern Shan State’s Taunggyi Township are targeting travelers at intercity bus stops and transit hubs, posing as bank representatives to collect national identification card (NIC) data and facial photographs for telecom scam syndicates.
- Operating in towns like Aungpan, middle-aged scammers lure victims with offers to set up free accounts at major financial institutions, including KBZ Bank and AYA Bank.
- After taking photographs of victims' identity cards and faces, the perpetrators sell the biometric and personal data to online scam operations—locally known as Zhapaian—for tens of millions of Myanmar kyat.
- A resident of neighboring Ywangan Township was turned away by KBZ Bank staff after finding an account had already been fraudulently registered using his identity credentials.
- A victim recounted: "I was in Aungpan when people offered to help me open a bank account. They took photos of my NIC and face, then claimed they couldn't finish it right away and left." Later, "When I later went to open an account myself, I was told one was already registered under my name."
- Community members and cybersecurity advocates warn that stolen credentials put victims at severe legal risk, exposing them to liabilities involving illicit financial transactions, money laundering, and unauthorized loans.
- Concerns are also growing over parallel security threats on regional transit routes, where individuals in junta uniforms have reportedly been seen photographing travelers' identity documents. Local tech advocates have additionally urged the public to beware of phishing links distributed via Viber and Telegram platforms used to compromise mobile devices.
Scammers in southern Shan State are increasingly targeting travelers at bus stops, posing as bank representatives to collect national identification card (NIC) data and facial photographs. These fraudsters operate in towns like Aungpan, luring victims with offers to set up free accounts at major banks such as KBZ Bank and AYA Bank.12456
After taking photographs of victims' identity cards and faces, the scammers abscond, selling the biometric and personal data to online scam operations, locally known as Zhapaian, for tens of millions of Myanmar kyat. This scam exploits military junta travel mandates that require citizens to carry physical identity cards at all times due to ongoing political instability.3
One victim from Ywangan Township recounted, "I was in Aungpan when people offered to help me open a bank account. They took photos of my NIC and face, then claimed they couldn't finish it right away and left." When he later attempted to open an account himself, he discovered one had already been fraudulently registered under his name.
Local community members and cybersecurity advocates warn that these stolen credentials expose victims to severe legal risks, including liabilities involving illicit financial transactions, money laundering, and unauthorized loans. Concerns are also rising over security threats on regional transit routes, where individuals in junta uniforms have been seen photographing travelers' identity documents. Additionally, local tech advocates urge the public to be cautious of phishing links distributed via Viber and Telegram platforms that can compromise mobile devices.789
“The scam exploits military junta travel mandates requiring citizens to carry physical ID cards, and stolen credentials are sold to Zhapaian operations for tens of millions of kyat. A Ywangan Township resident was turned away by KBZ Bank after finding a fraudulent account registered under his name.”
