Mumbai: 1.4K Indian ‘slaves’ rescued from scamsters this year

Siddharth Yadav (wearing spectacles, in the foreground) and Amit Sunar (in a blue shirt) along with other employees at the fake call centre in Laos

Online fraud is a widespread issue, but the victims of these scams extend beyond the unsuspecting individuals who fall prey to them. Many of the callers orchestrating these phone scams are themselves victims, often caught in the web of larger human trafficking networks. This year, the Indian government has rescued 1,405 nationals trapped in slavery in Cambodia and Laos, two countries that have become significant hubs for human trafficking linked to internet fraud.

The Indian embassy has successfully rescued over 1,405 citizens who allegedly fell victim to these schemes after travelling to Cambodia in search of high-paying jobs, only to find themselves forced into committing cyber fraud on foreign soil. According to data from the embassy, 770 citizens have been rescued from Cambodia and 635 from Laos in the first nine months of the year.

However, victims have reported that Chinese fraud companies are now relocating to Myanmar, luring individuals under the pretence of offering better salaries in call centres. The Indian Embassy has identified Laos and Cambodia as central locations for cybercrimes and is issuing regular advisories to prevent citizens from falling into these traps. These advisories are prominently displayed on the embassy's website to enhance public awareness.

"We are issuing advisories regularly and urge citizens not to fall into such traps. We also encourage individuals to reach out to the embassy if they find themselves in distress," said an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson. mid-day spoke with Indian and Sri Lankan nationals who were trapped in Laos last year. They shared that they were promised lucrative job opportunities but instead were coerced into committing cyber fraud under inhumane conditions. Many Indian, Sri Lankan, and Pakistani nationals are reportedly caught in similar situations.

"I went in October last year and returned to Sri Lanka in January. They offered me a high-paying job, but what followed were 145 days of hell," said a Sri Lankan national, who requested anonymity. He recounted how these fraudulent companies, allegedly run by Chinese operators, forced employees to work under illegal conditions. "They first lured us to Thailand, then confiscated our passports. We were trained to commit cyber fraud. If we opposed their work, they would deprive us of sleep, deny us proper food, and threaten us with dire consequences if we didn't comply," he added.

After enduring this torment, the Sri Lankan national was allowed to return home only after paying a sum to his Chinese employer. "I told them I had no desire to be part of the fraud. They insisted I pay to leave, and I asked them to deduct it from my salary. They finally let me go but made me delete all my photos from my phone. The Chinese authorities ensured there was no evidence left on our phones," he explained. Upon returning home, he was approached by a woman who claimed to have established a company in Myanmar, offering him another job opportunity. "She claimed to have connections in Laos and promised a better salary, but I declined the offer, fearing more torture," he said.

mid-day also spoke with Siddharth Yadav, an Indian national who was trapped and later rescued by the Indian embassy. "They initially told us about a job in a call centre in Thailand. Once I arrived in Thailand, they transported me to Laos via ship. There, we were instructed to create accounts on various social media platforms and target high-profile individuals, transferring the calls to Chinese authorities. The conditions were inhumane, and we suffered mental torture," he said.