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Investigators from the Taiwan Criminal Police Department stopped two suspected scammers at Taoyuan International Airport last August 18
Photo: Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau/AP
The young people are attracted by interesting job offers on the internet.
They then travel to the target countries, but instead of well-paid tech jobs, they have to work in call centers - and cheat other people on the phone.
This fraud scheme currently employs investigators in several South and Southeast Asian countries.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young people from Taiwan, China, Macau and Vietnam are said to have traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar or Laos in search of a dream job and fell into the trap of human traffickers.
This is reported, among others, by the British “Guardian” and the US newspaper “Washington Post”.
According to reports, criminal triads are behind the scheme.
Traffickers target young people through social media, offering them well-paying jobs and housing in Southeast Asian countries.
However, upon arrival, their passports will be confiscated.
They are often then resold to various groups and forced to work in bureaus that handle phone or online scams, the Guardian reports.
The telephone scams are said to primarily target people from mainland China.
Most of the victims of the human trafficking ring are believed to be from Vietnam and Taiwan, the British newspaper said.
According to this, the Taiwanese authorities have registered almost 5,000 citizens of the island nation who traveled to Cambodia and did not return.
According to the Guardian, Taiwanese police said they had identified several hundred people who were being held against their will.
The number is probably much higher.
Threats, attacks and rapes
Some returning Taiwanese said they were forced or others to sign contracts, were assaulted, raped and often threatened, the report said.
They were sometimes denied food and water.
A video was posted online last week allegedly showing dozens of Vietnamese fleeing a casino on the Cambodian border.
They are also seen jumping into a river to swim across the border into Vietnam.
A 16-year-old is said to have drowned trying to escape, the Guardian reports.
Corruption by the authorities hinders investigations
According to the reports, the fact that the fraud works so well and sometimes inconspicuously is partly due to the corruption of the authorities, especially in Cambodia.
According to the Washington Post, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said his ministry would launch a nationwide review of all foreigners living in Cambodia.
In the provinces of Kandal and Preah Sihanoukville, the status of people from abroad is checked, especially in rented properties and casinos.
Cambodian National Police Deputy Chief Chhay Sinarith said authorities have uncovered numerous illegal online scams in recent years.
This attracted people to Cambodia.
Hundreds of scammers from China and Taiwan have already been arrested.
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