The Promise and the Trap
Many Indians are trapped in Cambodia under false promises of data entry jobs. Instead, they are forced to commit cybercrimes. More than 5000 Indians are held forcefully in Cambodia and pressured into committing cyber frauds attacking individuals against users in India. The government has estimated losses of around Rs 500 crores over six months.
The story begins with false promises. Young Indians, seeking better prospects, encounter enticing job offers online. These offers promise financial stability, overseas employment, and a chance to escape poverty. However, the reality awaiting them is far from their dreams.
The Fight Against Cyber Slavery
After a meeting earlier this month with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), and security experts, discussions focused on developing a rescue strategy for these individuals.
Central authorities' investigations have found an organized scam in which agents attract victims, primarily from southern India, into Cambodia under the premise of data entry work, only to later exploit them for cyber fraud operations.
The Human Toll
These victims are not faceless statistics. They are real people—tech-savvy youths who find themselves trapped in foreign lands. Cut off from loved ones, they are forced to commit crimes against their countrymen.
Individuals imprisoned in Cambodia were compelled into carrying out frauds against people in India, and in some cases, they participated in extortion by impersonating law enforcement agents and claiming to have discovered suspicious things in their packages.
Workers are required to labour 12 hours each day and fear food deprivation if they do not fulfil their allocated chores.
These jobs include reviewing Facebook accounts to find possible targets for cybercrime, as well as creating bogus female profiles using carefully selected photographs from other online platforms.
MEA's Collaboration with Cambodian Authorities
Responding to the predicament of Indian nationals duped into accepting false job offers in Cambodia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Indian government is working closely with Cambodian authorities. About 250 Indians have been successfully "rescued and repatriated."
In their response, the MEA admitted, "We are aware of allegations regarding Indian people trapped in Cambodia. Our Embassy in Cambodia responds quickly to reports from Indian nationals who were lured into unlawful internet operations by promises of a job.