US cracks down on cyber scams with global visa restrictions

The United States has introduced a new global visa restriction policy targeting individuals involved in cyber scams and sextortion, with the measures also extending to their immediate family members. The Trump administration said the move is aimed at disrupting criminal networks responsible for online fraud targeting Americans.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on Thursday under the Immigration and Nationality Act, saying it would apply to people responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.

Rubio said online investment fraud, often orchestrated by "Chinese transnational criminal organisations," defrauded US citizens of at least USD 10 billion in 2024 while also "fueling corruption, money laundering, and human trafficking."


He also highlighted the growing threat of overseas sextortion schemes targeting American children.

"This policy targets individuals responsible for, or complicit in, cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime," Rubio said.

According to Rubio, the Trump administration will use multiple enforcement tools against such networks.

"The Trump Administration is deploying every tool at our disposal--sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation--to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them," he said.

The announcement marks the latest expansion of the administration's use of visa restrictions as a foreign policy tool.

Last week, the US State Department introduced another visa restriction policy aimed at members of what it described as "far-left terrorist and other aligned groups." That policy, implemented under National Security Presidential Memorandum-7, targets foreign nationals accused of supporting or inciting terrorism, violent criminal activity, financing extremist groups, recruitment, or providing logistical support to violent networks.

The State Department said the broader objective is to prevent foreign individuals who enable criminal, violent or terrorist activities from entering the United States.