Many victims also mentioned corruption among border officials and intimidation by law enforcement agencies.
False Promises of Employment
Satellite images and local data show that nearly 75% of operations are linked to the Mekong region. However, fraudulent schemes also extend to island nations in the Pacific, South Asian countries, the Persian Gulf, West Africa, and the Americas.The report includes testimonies from victims from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, India, China, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and South Africa, who were trafficked to fraudulent centers in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates from 2021 to 2025. The study also interviewed representatives from police and civil society organizations.
Brutal Punishments
Some victims described enormous enclosed complexes resembling autonomous cities, with high-rise buildings, tall walls, and armed guards.One witness from Sri Lanka recounted that those who failed to meet monthly "plans" for fraud were subjected to brutal punishments, including prolonged stays in "water prisons." Other victims reported being forced to beat their colleagues or witness violence to intimidate others.
There are reports of fatalities during escape attempts—some victims fell from heights. Attempts to escape were met with severe punishment; one victim from Vietnam described how her sister was beaten and deprived of food for seven days.
Coercion into Criminal Activities
Many victims received only a portion of the promised income: fines and other "expenses" were deducted from their salaries. One interviewee noted that he was required to generate a daily "earnings" of up to $9,500 as part of the fraudulent schemes, under threats of violence or "reselling" into harsher conditions.The Need for Victim Protection
“The scale of the abuses is shocking and deeply saddening,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.He noted that instead of receiving assistance and rehabilitation, victims face distrust, stigmatization, and even punishment.
According to Turk, measures must be based on respect for human rights, including recognition of coercion into criminal activities and the principle of non-punishment for victims of human trafficking.
The report also emphasizes the need for safe and timely operations to rescue victims, adherence to the principle of non-refoulement, and ensuring access to medical and psychological assistance.
Combating Corruption
Researchers conducted an analysis to determine the reasons why people continue to fall into such schemes. Among the proposed measures are the development of safe labor migration channels, monitoring of online job vacancies, and active involvement of civil society organizations and the victims themselves in preventive work.The High Commissioner called on states to combat corruption related to fraudulent networks, hold criminal syndicates accountable, and ensure the freedom of independent media and human rights defenders who combat human trafficking.
Photo on the homepage: UN News Service / D. Dickinson (fraudulent center in the Philippines organized by an international criminal network).
