PM Says BPO Paid Out Over $150 Million in Annual Salaries

Prime Minister John Briceño says the government is committed to cracking down on scams linked to Belize’s BPO sector, as concerns grow about whether existing laws are strong enough to address the problem.

Briceño told News Five that authorities must pursue scammers aggressively, whether they are targeting Belizeans or victims overseas.

His comments comes after News 5 uncovered a massive credit card scam orignating from call centers. 

“I agree with you 100% that we need to go after anyone that’s scamming, not only our citizens, but people outside of Belize from these BPOs,” the prime minister said.

News Five first reported concerns raised by businessman Lee Mark Chang. He was told by police that Belize’s laws lack “sufficient teeth”, despite the existence of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act passed in 2021. Victims, however, are still able to file formal police complaints.

The Prime Minister added that while he had not received direct complaints from Chang, he was aware that some individuals had raised concerns with police. He said more measures are needed to strengthen enforcement and ensure scammers are prosecuted. “How is it that we can go after these scammers? And we need to go to them to the full extent of the law,” Briceño stated.

At the same time, the prime minister stressed the importance of protecting the BPO industry, which he described as a major contributor to the national economy. He noted that the sector employs more than 20,000 people and generates over $150 million in annual salaries.

“We have to be grateful to the BPO industry,” Briceño said, adding that the government must ensure legitimate companies “can feel safe to operate here.”