A Reuters report exposes an international criminal network involved in online scams, with operations reaching Thailand and concentrated primarily in remote regions along the Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border. The network reportedly exploits vulnerable individuals, often luring them with promises of legitimate job opportunities, only to trap them in exploitative conditions. Victims are coerced into participating in fraudulent activities, including phishing schemes, investment scams, and other forms of online deception.
Thousands of people, often victims of trafficking themselves, are forced to work in scam centres, on pain of brutal violence. Thailand plays a key role as a hub for the trafficking of these victims.
These scam centers, often located in remote areas or out of the reach of authorities, exploit victims to carry out fraudulent activities online, such as financial scams or cyberattacks. Organized criminal networks take advantage of the vulnerability of traffickers, depriving them of their basic rights and keeping them in inhumane conditions. International efforts to dismantle these networks and protect victims remain insufficient in the face of the scale of the problem.
The testimonies collected from nine people from Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia, victims of this trafficking between 2022 and 2025, reveal consistent accounts of manipulation and exploitation.
The Reuters investigation highlights not only the existence of the scam centers, but also the instrumental role of some alleged Thai immigration officials in the transfer of victims to Myanmar. It also reveals the harsh living conditions in these fraud complexes that continue to thrive despite intensified enforcement efforts.
- The modus operandi:
- People are lured to Thailand, often by promises of lucrative jobs.
- At Bangkok airport, they are intercepted by people posing as immigration officers or representatives of their hotel.
- They are then transported to remote provinces in Thailand, often under the guise of detours or other reasons.
- Their final destination is a resort in Burma, such as the infamous “KK Park”.
- Life in Scam Centers:
- These centres, run by Chinese criminal gangs, are guarded by local militias affiliated with the Burmese army.
- Victims are forced to work long hours (up to 17-20 hours a day).
- Their task is to contact people online, fake identities (e.g., “Alicia”, a fashion designer) and scam them through fake investment schemes.
- “Templates” are sometimes used for video calls to further deceive victims.
- Living conditions are extremely difficult: overcrowded dormitories, insufficient sanitary facilities, lack of food.
- Punishments and Cruelty:
- Failure to meet financial targets results in severe punishments.
- These include beatings with electric batons, isolation in dark rooms, deprivation of food and water, and electric shocks all over the body.
- There are reports of beatings with bamboo sticks and inadequate medical treatment for serious injuries.
- The Role of the Authorities and Militias:
- Allegations suggest complicity by some Thai immigration officials and airport employees in trafficking the victims.
- Burmese militias (Karen National Army, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) exploit or lease land to these centres, although some claim to have been unaware of their criminal nature.
- The Burmese army denies its involvement, but its influence in the border areas is acknowledged.
- China is actively cooperating with Burma and Thailand to dismantle these operations.
- Escapes and Relief Camps:
- Some detainees managed to escape, facing dangerous conditions and pursuit by armed men.
- After crackdowns, thousands of victims were released, but some were placed in precarious relief camps guarded by militias.
- The repatriation of those released is slowed down by administrative and logistical constraints.
- Consequences for Victims:
- Survivors have often lost their jobs and find themselves in precarious financial situations, struggling to pay their debts and medical bills.
- They are psychologically marked by the traumatic experience.
This report highlights the scale and brutality of an online crime industry that exploits the vulnerability of individuals, with complicity and systemic flaws that allow it to be perpetuated. It also reveals the complex mechanisms behind these illicit activities, ranging from organized hacker networks to digital platforms that facilitate money laundering and the dissemination of stolen data. This system, fueled by growing demand and often insufficient regulation, jeopardizes the global digital security and privacy of millions of people.
Source : They traveled to Thailand. They wound up cyber scam slaves in Myanmar.
