Fourteen Indian nationals, who were deceitfully taken to Cambodia and forced into cyber fraud by human trafficking rackets, have appealed to the Indian embassy for assistance in returning to India.
The group of 14 men, primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, was rescued by Cambodian police and is currently residing at an NGO in the country.
Recent reports have exposed a perilous job scam impacting thousands, including over 5,000 Indians stranded in Cambodia and coerced into executing illegal cyber activities. Earlier this year, the government reported that around 250 Indians had been "rescued and repatriated."
These people were initially promised legitimate employment but were later compelled to engage in unlawful online tasks, as stated by India's foreign ministry.
Forced to work in "cyber scamming" call centers targeting Indians
Upon their arrival in Siem Reap, Cambodia, their passports were confiscated, and they were forced to work in "cyber scamming" call centers targeting Indian citizens.
Authorities uncovered this extensive scam late last year when a senior central government employee reported being defrauded of over Rs 67 lakh, prompting a complaint. Odisha's Rourkela Police dismantled a cyber-crime syndicate on December 30, arresting eight individuals allegedly involved in trafficking people to Cambodia.
Indian Embassy issued an advisory
Earlier this year, the Indian Embassy issued an advisory for those seeking employment in Cambodia, urging Indian nationals to secure jobs only through authorized agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The embassy highlighted that these fraudulent job offers often advertised positions such as 'Digital Sales and Marketing Executives' or 'Customer Support Service' with dubious companies engaged in call-center scams and cryptocurrency fraud.
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