Scammed into being a scam caller Mon Sep 13 There are a number of humorous YouTube channels devoted to hacking scammers and trying to get them scared or caught for their crimes. But this cybercriminal world is actually even more nefarious. Scam call centers are now purchasing people trafficked through phony job ads to work sophisticated scams through messaging and social media apps. The victims are forced to defraud others as they work 12 hour days, live in crowded dorms, or face food deprivation, beatings, and electric shocks. The way out? Either pay a sum many times over their annual pay, or death. At least six bodies have been found near one scam compound. And the defrauded include at least 1,838 people in 46 countries averaging a loss of about $169,000 since June 2021. It's tempting to think it only happens to the unsavvy online but the defrauded include accountants and entrepreneurs who have lost hundreds of thousands to even millions. Scam operators have detailed, "psychologically astute training materials" that get targets to slowly trust the scam worker by building a rapport and friendship long before launching into a secret investment opportunity.
Authorities and global activist groups (with volunteer rescuers) are working to combat the problem, which centers around Cambodia. The country is in the lowest tier in the annual U.S. State Department's assessment of how well a country is meeting standards to eliminate human trafficking and has only recently acknowledged that foreign nationals have been trafficked into the country following a U.N. report. In fact, these foreign nationals (often from nearby countries, including China where the scam operators hail from) may escape only to then face abuse from the Cambodian police, who have been reported to treat escapees as criminals and illegal immigrants. The police have even pursued rescuers. | |
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