A recent report from the United Nations (UN) states that many people from different parts of the world have been brought to Southeast Asia to carry out online scams.
Around 120,000 individuals in Myanmar and 100,000 in Cambodia have been compelled to participate in these fraudulent schemes.
Many of the people affected are men from Asia, but there are also some from other places like Africa and Latin America.
The UN report is the first study to look at the problem in a detailed way, even though this problem has been around for many years.
The report says that because of the pandemic, many people had to stay at home and use the internet more. This made it easier for online scammers to trick them.
Criminal gangs used to exploit vulnerable, uneducated individuals who needed money quickly. However, they are now focusing on victims with high-level jobs and advanced education, such as college graduates or even those with post-graduate degrees.
According to the report, a lot of the places where people are compelled to commit cyber crime have weak government control, lack proper rules and laws, and have disputed authority.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that while we keep asking for fairness for those who have been tricked through online crimes, we need to remember that there are two groups of people who are hurt by this problem.
The UN believes that these scam centers make billions of US dollars each year.
Different news sources, like the BBC, have talked a lot with people who have been tricked by these groups of criminals.
Many times, people are tempted by advertisements that offer simple jobs and amazing benefits, but are fooled and end up going to Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
After they come, they are locked up and made to work in places where they deceive people on the internet. If people don’t obey, they could be in danger. Many people have been tortured and treated in a cruel and inhumane way.
Some networks also trick people looking for love and romance, which is often called “pig-butchering” scams. Last year, a 25-year-old person from Malaysia went to Bangkok to meet a person they only knew online. Unfortunately, this individual was tortured and killed in a very sad incident.
Instead, he was taken to Myanmar against his will and made to work for companies that are part of fraudulent activities on the internet. In one of his final phone calls to his parents, he told them that he was attacked because people thought he was lying about being sick. He passed away after spending a month in the intensive care unit.
The UN says that regulations in Southeast Asian countries are not as good as international standards. These regulations have not been able to keep up with the changes in online scam operations caused by the pandemic.
Pia Oberoi, someone who gives advice at the UN Human Rights Office, said that there are many more situations of people being taken advantage of that haven’t been reported. This is because the victims feel embarrassed and ashamed about the work they were tricked into doing.
The report said that we shouldn’t only focus on stopping organized crime or controlling the borders when dealing with this issue. Instead, we need to make sure that these victims of trafficking are kept safe and treated fairly.
Mr Türk asked governments to be firm in dealing with these criminal networks.
“He said that all states that are affected need to have the determination to make human rights stronger and improve how they are governed and how laws are followed. This includes making strong and continuous efforts to address and fight against corruption. ”