Ideas of India Snigdha Poonam on the Political Economy of Transnational Scams
35 snips
Jan 2, 2026 Snigdha Poonam, a journalist and the author of Scamlands, delves into the intriguing world of scams. She explores how scams have evolved into an organized economy intertwined with formal systems in India, highlighting regions like Jharkhand and Assam. The discussion includes the normalization of scamming within communities, state complicity, and how women are disproportionately affected. Snigdha also uncovers transnational scams, including cybercrime networks and the grim reality of scam slavery in Southeast Asia, linking youthful aspirations to these darker narratives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Scams As An Organized Parallel Economy
- Scams form an organized parallel economy with capital, hiring, and formal links to legitimate services.
- Snigdha Poonam shows scams function like sectoral activities interacting deeply with the formal economy.
Villagewide Crooks Economy In Jamtara
- In Jamtara whole villages share roles: callers, banking correspondents, delivery drivers and even local officials aid scams.
- Snigdha Poonam calls this network the "crooks economy" rooted in everyday community participation.
Normalization Through Distance And Local Pride
- Social distance from victims reduces moral guilt; widespread local participation normalizes scamming.
- Political protection and local pride further erode shame around scam activities.