How 5,000 Indians Became 'Cyber Slaves' In Cambodia's Rs 500 Crore Scam

More than 5,000 Indian nationals have been discovered to be held against their will in Cambodia, where they are being coerced into participating in online scams targeting individuals in India. These fraudulent activities have amassed a staggering Rs 500 crore over the past six months. India and Cambodia are now collaborating to address this issue.

According to an Indian Express report, the Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed these reports and stated that the Indian Embassy in Cambodia is actively addressing complaints from Indian citizens who were lured with job promises but ended up being forced into illegal cyber activities. Approximately 250 people have been rescued and repatriated to India.

Reports indicate that those trapped in Cambodia were forced into scamming Indians by impersonating law enforcement officers. They would contact victims and falsely claim that suspicious items were found in packages sent by them, then demand money.

The scam was uncovered when a senior government employee reported a loss of over Rs 67 lakh. The Rourkela Police in Odisha arrested eight individuals linked to this cyber-crime syndicate.

Stephen, one of the rescued victims, shared how he was deceived into going to Cambodia with the promise of a job but was compelled to create fake social media profiles to scam people in India. They were given strict daily targets and faced penalties if they failed to meet them. "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.

These victims, known as "cyber slaves," endured harsh conditions, including being deprived of food and rest if they did not meet targets. Some were forced to pose as women on dating apps to carry out fraudulent schemes like cryptocurrency trading scams.

"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 added.

The Rourkela Police disclosed that the perpetrators used violent tactics such as physical assaults and isolation to ensure compliance. Many Indians found themselves trapped in Cambodia against their will. Efforts are underway to identify and safely repatriate them back home.