India on Sunday said that it has rescued its 250 citizens from Cambodia from the clutches of cyber criminals in the Southeast Asian country so far, and 75 of them were brought back over the last three months. The response of India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came against the backdrop of complaints that scores of Indians have been lured to Cambodia on the promise of jobs. They were allegedly being held against their will and forced to carry out cyber frauds against Indians using social media platforms.
MEA’s official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said, “Our Embassy in Cambodia has been promptly addressing complaints from Indian nationals who were enticed with job prospects but were compelled to engage in unlawful cyber activities.”
What is the cyber work scam in Cambodia?
The fake job scam in Cambodia involved alleged deceiving Indian nationals with promises of legitimate employment opportunities, typically in data entry or similar roles. However, upon arrival in Cambodia, the victims are coerced into participating in illegal cyber activities, such as creating fake social media profiles and engaging in fraudulent schemes to scam unsuspecting individuals. The victims are subjected to exploitation, with threats of withholding basic necessities like food and accommodation if they fail to meet targets set by the perpetrators.
According to a report by a national daily, over 5,000 Indians are reportedly trapped in Cambodia after being lured with job opportunities, only to find themselves coerced into participating in cybercrimes.
When was Cambodia's fake job scam discovered?
The issue came to light after the Rourkela Police in Odisha dismantled a cyber-crime syndicate on December 30 last year, leading to the arrest of eight individuals allegedly involved in trafficking people to Cambodia.
Other countries where work abroad scams have been reported
Instances of exploitation through fake work abroad scams have been reported in various regions, including East European countries, certain Gulf countries, Central Asian countries, Israel, Canada, Myanmar, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, according to the MEA.
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Cambodia's fake job scam is the most recent one to come to light. The government estimates that these fraudsters have duped people of at least Rs 500 crore in India over the past six months through this scam.
How are people lured into fake jobs?
According to an advisory released by the foreign ministry in December 2023, these scams are typically carried out through overseas job consultants/agents.
Many illegal agents conduct their operations through social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and text messages, making it difficult to trace their whereabouts. They would also provide minimal information about themselves, communicating solely through WhatsApp, thereby complicating the verification process of the job offers and the legitimacy of the callers.
One of the rescued individuals recounted his experience to the national daily, saying that he was promised a data entry job in Cambodia. However, upon arrival at the airport, the agent stated that they would be entering Cambodia on a 'tourist visa', as opposed to a 'work visa'. In Cambodia, the individuals were taken to an office and tested on their typing and computer skills. However, when 'hired', they were made to scan social media sites to look for people to scam.
Spotting overseas job scams
The Indian government mandates registered recruitment agents to purchase Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) for migrant workers, offering benefits such as a Rs 10 lakh sum assured in case of death or work-related injuries, along with medical expense coverage, with a nominal premium.
Additionally, authentic job offers are accompanied by an 'Employment Contract' signed by the foreign employer, recruitment agent, and the emigrant worker. The contract outlines the terms and conditions of employment, including salary and other benefits. Genuine job offers facilitate emigration through proper employment or work visas, rather than tourist visas, which should be reserved solely for tourism purposes.
In the MEA briefing, Jaiswal added that the Indian Embassy was working closely with Cambodian authorities on the case.
He said, “We are also collaborating with Cambodian authorities and agencies in India to crackdown on those responsible for these fraudulent schemes.”