Indian Nationals Forced into Online Scams in Cambodia: Rs 500 Crore Scam Uncovered

Recent investigations have uncovered a distressing situation involving more than 5,000 Indian nationals held against their will in Cambodia. These individuals are being compelled to participate in online scams targeting people in India, which have accumulated a massive sum of Rs 500 crore over the past six months. In response, Indian and Cambodian authorities have initiated joint efforts to address this alarming issue.

According to reports from the Indian Express, the Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed these disturbing accounts, stating that the Indian Embassy in Cambodia is actively assisting Indian citizens who have fallen victim to these illicit activities. Approximately 250 individuals have been rescued and repatriated to India thus far.

It has been revealed that the victims, under duress, engage in fraudulent schemes by impersonating law enforcement officers. They contact unsuspecting victims and falsely allege the discovery of suspicious items in parcels sent by them, subsequently demanding money.

The scam was exposed when a senior government official reported losing Rs 67 lakh. Subsequently, the Rourkela Police in Odisha apprehended eight individuals associated with this cybercrime syndicate.

Stephen, one of the rescued victims, shared his ordeal of being deceived into travelling to Cambodia with the promise of employment, only to be coerced into perpetrating fraudulent activities targeting individuals in India. These victims, termed "cyber slaves," endured harsh conditions and faced repercussions for failing to meet daily quotas. "An agent in Mangaluru offered me a data entry job in Cambodia. There were three of us, including one Babu Rao from Andhra Pradesh. At the immigration, the agent said we were going on a tourist visa, which made me suspicious," he told Indian Express.

"They tested our typing speed among other things. It was only later that we found out that our job was to look for profiles on Facebook and identify people who can be scammed. The team was Chinese, but a Malaysian translated the instructions to English," he further added.

The perpetrators resorted to violent tactics such as physical assault and isolation to enforce compliance among their victims. As efforts intensify to identify and repatriate those trapped in Cambodia against their will, authorities are striving to ensure their safe return home.