Cybercrime hubs operating in remote parts of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have evolved into a large-scale humanitarian crisis, with nearly 300,000 people from 66 countries — including India — being forced to work in scam centres, according to a new United Nations report.
Report Details on Luring and Coercion Tactics
The report, titled A Wicked Problem, released by the UN human rights office, states that victims were lured with promises of high-paying jobs abroad but were trafficked into heavily guarded compounds where their passports were confiscated and they were coerced into running international cyber fraud operations. The document describes the industry as a convergence of organised crime, human trafficking and digital financial exploitation.
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Scale of Scams and Massive Revenues
According to the findings, those held inside the compounds are made to carry out online investment scams, romance frauds, cryptocurrency swindles and call-based financial deception targeting victims across the globe. The illegal cyber scam industry in the region is estimated to generate annual revenues of about $64 billion (approximately ₹5.3 lakh crore), a figure comparable to the GDP of several small nations.
Abuses, Punishments and Operational Protection
Human rights experts cited in the report said victims are subjected to severe physical abuse, psychological coercion and financial penalties if they fail to meet fraud targets. Punishments allegedly include beatings, electric shocks, food deprivation and confinement. In several documented cases, individuals attempting to escape were reportedly locked in isolation rooms or sold to other scam compounds.
The report further notes that the scam centres are operated by transnational criminal syndicates that benefit from protection by local armed groups and corrupt networks. Many of these facilities are located in conflict-affected border regions of Myanmar where law enforcement access remains limited, allowing the operations to function with minimal interference.
UN Calls for Action and Global Warnings
The United Nations has urged member states to coordinate efforts to dismantle trafficking networks, identify victims and facilitate their safe repatriation. It also called for tighter monitoring of financial flows linked to cyber fraud and stronger regulation of digital payment channels used to move illicit proceeds.
With nationals from India and several other countries among those trapped, the report underscores the need for sustained diplomatic engagement and cross-border rescue operations. While some joint enforcement actions in recent months have led to the release of a limited number of victims, a significant population remains confined in these compounds.
Experts warn that the phenomenon represents a modern form of slavery driven by the misuse of the digital economy, where human trafficking and cyber-enabled financial crime reinforce each other on a global scale.
The UN cautioned that without enhanced regional cooperation, stricter financial surveillance and intensified anti-trafficking operations, the scam industry is likely to expand further, deepening both the cybercrime threat and the associated human rights crisis.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
