In a shocking revelation, the Indian government has disclosed the rescue and repatriation of 250 citizens who fell prey to a deceitful promise of employment in Cambodia, only to be coerced into conducting cybercrime upon arrival.
According to official statements, these individuals were lured under the guise of lucrative job opportunities in the Southeast Asian nation, only to find themselves trapped in a web of criminal activity once they reached their destination.
Prompt action was taken after several distressed nationals reached out to India’s Embassy in Cambodia, detailing their desperate circumstances. Working in tandem with Cambodian authorities, the government successfully located and brought back these victims of exploitation.
“Our Embassy in Cambodia has been promptly responding to complaints from Indian nationals who were lured with employment opportunities to that country but were forced to undertake illegal cyber work,” the announcement reads.
Collaborative efforts have led to the repatriation of approximately 250 Indians, with 75 rescued in just the past three months. However, the scale of the crisis is far more extensive, with reports suggesting at least 5,000 individuals held captive in Cambodia, coerced into perpetrating scams that have amassed nearly $60 million in the last six months alone.
One survivor, referred to as a “cyber slave,” recounts his harrowing ordeal, having travelled to Cambodia in pursuit of a legitimate data entry job, only to be ensnared in appalling conditions while being coerced into executing scams orchestrated by a syndicate comprising Chinese and Malaysian operatives.
These victims were compelled to create fake social media profiles to defraud unsuspecting fellow Indians, with daily financial quotas enforced through physical violence and isolation for those who failed to comply.
Operating under the guise of law enforcement officers, the scammers targeted vulnerable victims, coercing them with false allegations about illicit items supposedly discovered in parcels sent by the victims.
In one instance, a senior government official fell victim to their machinations and reported his losses to the Odisha police. Subsequent investigations led to the exposure of eight individuals connected to the elaborate scam operation.
As efforts continue to locate and repatriate additional victims, this alarming revelation sheds light on the sinister underbelly of an international syndicate exploiting the desperation of job seekers. It underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and emphasizes the critical role of international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
The plight of these individuals serves as a sobering reminder of the evolving challenges in cybersecurity and the imperative of concerted global action to thwart such nefarious activities.