Indians get defrauded of millions in online scams

(MENAFN) Indians have been defrauded of approximately $820 million in online scams during the first five months of 2025, according to reports referencing a document from the country's Home Ministry.

A significant portion of the losses—more than half—has been linked to scam operations based in Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Information from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center suggests that these scams are run from heavily guarded facilities believed to be managed by Chinese networks.

According to the report, these operations employ individuals—many of whom are trafficked, including Indian nationals—to execute fraudulent schemes against unsuspecting targets.

Government sources revealed that India’s Foreign Ministry recently held talks with Cambodian authorities in New Delhi to explore coordinated efforts to address the issue. Cambodian representatives reportedly asked for precise location data of the suspected scam hubs operating within their borders to enable enforcement action.

Earlier this year, in March, Indian authorities repatriated 549 citizens who had been rescued from cybercrime centers near the Myanmar–Thailand border.

Victims of these scams often include Indians and nationals from other parts of Asia and Africa. Many were tricked with fake job offers in the IT sector and then trafficked to remote regions in Myanmar, where they were forced to work for cyber-fraud syndicates operating in largely unregulated territories.

MENAFN16072025000045017281ID1109807126