Family members of 'scammers' could be refused visas - US warns

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Sat, 25 Jul 2026 Source: classfmonline.com

The United States has announced that immediate family members of individuals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime including cyberscams and what they termed as “sextortion” may also be subjected to strict visa restrictions under their new global policy.

In a press statement dated July 23, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the policy, introduced under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, targets individuals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.

"Immediate family members of individuals engaged in such illicit activities may also be subjected to visa restrictions," the statement said.

Background

The policy was announced as part of President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14390 on combating cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes against American citizens which the administration said was aimed at countering an unprecedented threat from online investment scams.

According to the statement, scammers, often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organisations, had defrauded US citizens of at least $10 billion in 2024 while fuelling corruption, money laundering and human trafficking.

American children, it added, had also been specifically targeted by offenders operating overseas for sextortion scams, "devastating families and futures”.

Rubio said the Trump administration was deploying every tool at its disposal, including sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests and international law enforcement cooperation, to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them.

"By restricting visa issuance to those who are responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises, we are sending a clear message: The United States will go after those who prey on our citizens," he said.

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