An investigation is now putting renewed pressure on the government to act, after uncovering a sophisticated credit card scam tied to Belize’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. The operation has left businesses counting their losses and raised serious concerns about the country’s ability to police financial crimes within a fast-growing industry.
News Five’s report was the first to expose the scheme, identifying multiple victims and securing rare insight from a former BPO employee who admitted to stealing dozens of credit card details while working at a call center. Now, Prime Minister John Briceño says Belize’s existing laws do not go far enough to stop scammers and agrees it is time for tougher, targeted legislation.
Government Admits Laws Fall Short
Speaking today, Prime Minister Briceño acknowledged that authorities must take stronger action to crack down on scams originating from within the BPO sector before they cause lasting damage.
He ordered that anyone involved in scamming be pursued, whether they target Belizeans or people abroad through these BPO firms.
Briceño advised being grateful to the BPO industry that presently provides over 20,000 jobs. He added that salaries have surpassed $150 million a year. “We have to protect them and ensure they feel safe operating here,” said Briceño.
The Prime Minister emphasized that scammers must be pursued to the full extent of the law. He added that, while UDP businessman Lee Mark Chang was among the first to publicly sound the alarm, Chang has not yet contacted him directly about the issue. Briceño said he is aware that some reports have been made to police, but believes more needs to be done at the legislative level.
Inside the Scam Targeting Businesses and Customers
The News Five investigation revealed how call center employees allegedly bypassed Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards by secretly recording customers’ credit card numbers and CVV codes during phone calls. That information was then used to make fraudulent purchases, often through local business apps, with deliveries sent to areas near call centers.
One of the hardest-hit businesses, Chon Saan Palace, reported hundreds of chargebacks over a two-year period. Owner Lee Mark Chang said the fraud became clear when banks repeatedly flagged transactions as unauthorized. In one documented case, an American cardholder’s information was used more than a dozen times in under three weeks, resulting in nearly $1,000 in fraudulent charges.
Prime Minister Briceño warned that unless scammers are swiftly stopped, the damage could extend beyond individual victims to the entire BPO sector, which employs nearly 20,000 Belizeans.
As investigations continue, the government says protecting victims while preserving the integrity of the BPO industry is now a national priority.
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Editorial Team. (2025, November 7). Business process outsource. Belize.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026, from https://belize.com/business-process-outsource/
Hipolito, & Hipolito. (2026, January 19). PM Briceño confirms credit card scam investigation | Greater Belize Media. Greater Belize Media | GBM: Growing Together. Retrieved February 5, 2026, from https://www.greaterbelize.com/pm-briceno-confirms-credit-card-scam-investigation/
