A shocking incident has come to light in Pimpri-Chinchwad, where a young man has exposed a racket operating in Cambodia in which Indian youth are lured with false promises of jobs and later forced into cyber slavery. The young man claimed he himself fell into the trap and was in Cambodia for several months before they sent him back.
The man revealed that he was lured with lucrative job offers and promises of six-figure salaries abroad. Pimpri-Chinchwad Police detained this man from Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra. The 37-year-old victim worked as a computer operator in a local hospital. He is a Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) graduate.
Sharing his experience with the media, he said, “A few months ago, I came across an advertisement on Facebook about a well-paying job opportunity. I went to Mumbai in pursuit of the job, where a female agent lured me with the promise of a monthly salary of Rs 1 lakh. I was told it was a data editing job. In addition, I was offered an opportunity to move abroad to Cambodia, where food and accommodation would be taken care of. I was asked to pay Rs 2 lakh in advance for the job.”
The man further claimed that upon arriving at Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) in Cambodia, his passport was snatched away, and he was taken to an unknown location after an 8-hour journey. He claimed that there he realised that about 60 Indian youths were already held captive by Chinese and Cambodian handlers, who were forcing them to defraud fellow Indians.
How the 'Scam Factories' Operate
The victim revealed that senior officials (apparently the Chinese syndicate) force Indians to commit cybercrimes. Men are tasked with contacting wealthy Indian businessmen via WhatsApp and Telegram. If a businessman responds, female agents take over the conversation. People are then duped of their money online through 'pig butchering' scams and fake 'share market investment' schemes promising high returns.
A pig butchering scam is a long-term online fraud in which scammers build trust with victims, often through fake relationships or job offers, before gradually manipulating them into investing or transferring large sums of money.
‘I Was Mentally & Physically Tortured’
Although this young man sent messages and tried to scam people, he claims that he was unsuccessful in it and did not manage to defraud anyone. He revealed that, citing 'poor performance', he was repeatedly and brutally beaten in front of everyone. “Escaping from there was nearly impossible,” he noted.
After enduring four months of mental and physical torture, the company formatted his phone and kicked him out without paying him a single penny. He somehow managed to contact his family, who booked his flight ticket from Cambodia to Mumbai. However, when he recently attempted to travel to Dubai in search of work, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Cyber Police detained him at the airport for questioning.
“Please always verify the credibility of a company before accepting a job, or you may end up like me -- you may never return. Many people from West Bengal, other parts of India, and Bangladesh were there. I was poor at the work assigned to me, which is why they let me leave. The government there is colluding, and there is no support from that country. The situation is very bad,” the victim said.
Ensure Every Job Offer: Police
Speaking on the matter, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime 1) Dr Vishal Hire said, “We have recently received complaints of people being lured with promises of high-paying jobs and later being turned into cyber slaves. They are forced to search for victims and are practically kidnapped. The victims are not allowed to contact their families or seek help, and strict measures are taken to ensure they remain isolated. We are thoroughly investigating the matter. I urge the youth of this country not to travel in search of jobs unless they are absolutely sure about the offer. Always verify the job offer and the agency through which you are applying. If you fall victim to such scams, returning becomes extremely difficult. If you are summoned by a company, ask for its official address. We also maintain a red list of companies from Cambodia, China, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Youth should verify details by contacting the respective embassies and ensure the offer is genuine before making any decision.”
