(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) As many as 14 Indian nationals, who were forced into cybercrime as slaves in Cambodia, were rescued on Saturday.
The Indian embassy stated X,“In collaboration with Cambodian authorities (we) have got 14 Indian citizens trapped in a cybercrime scam released. They are being looked after by the Cambodian side.”
It also said that the Embassy has been working for their expeditious return home and remains committed to their welfare.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Embassy of India in Phnom Penh had provided specific inputs to the Cambodian Police, which led to the rescue of 14 Indians, who were scammed of fraudulent job offers.
The individuals are now under the care of an NGO collaborating with Cambodia's Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation.
So far, according to the Embassy, over 650 Indian nationals have been rescued and repatriated. They had fallen victim to these scams.
The Indian Embassy, in continuous contact with Cambodian authorities, is urging for the swift completion of formalities to facilitate the safe and prompt repatriation of the Indian nationals.
The Embassy further added that they continue to closely monitor the situation and remain committed to protecting the welfare of Indians in Cambodia.
However, it also advised the Indian nationals to exercise extreme caution and job offers in the country and to immediately report any suspicious activities to the Embassy.
As per the reports, over 5,000 Indians were stuck in Cambodia and forced to run online scams.
In March, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that they were promised jobs but“forced to undertake illegal cyber work.”
The people who fell prey to cyber-fraud scams are mostly young and tech-savvy. They were promised online data entry jobs and then lured into illegal online work.
Their jobs range from money laundering and crypto fraud to so-called love scams, where they pose as lovers online.
According to a UN report released in August 2023 said that at least 120,000 people in Myanmar, and another 100,000 in Cambodia, were forced into operating cyber-fraud schemes.
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