(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 16 (Petra) – Law enforcement has launched a joint investigation into a suspected financial fraud and human trafficking case involving a large number of Asian workers allegedly employed under false pretenses in the northern city of Irbid.
According to a statement by the Public Security Department (PSD) spokesperson, the Cybercrime and Human Trafficking Units of the Criminal Investigation Department opened the case after receiving intelligence indicating that a man had recruited a significant number of Asian nationals to work in a building registered under a fictitious company. The nature of the company's activities was unclear.
A police raid on the premises led to the arrest of 15 Asian workers and the company's owner, who is of Arab nationality. Authorities also seized a large quantity of computers and mobile phones from the site. A forensic examination of the devices revealed the use of digital platforms linked to financial trading.
The PSD spokesperson confirmed that the applications found matched those previously flagged in multiple financial fraud cases reported to the Cybercrime Unit. Victims in those cases had been duped into investing in what they were led to believe were legitimate investment platforms.
Further investigation revealed that the workers had arrived in Jordan in response to a job advertisement, but were subsequently coerced into working at the company. Their personal documents were allegedly confiscated by the employer. The Human Trafficking Unit is now handling this part of the investigation to assess potential trafficking violations.
The case will be referred to the judiciary once all investigative procedures are completed.
Authorities urged members of the public to exercise caution when investing through online platforms and to avoid dealing with unlicensed or unverified entities. Investors are advised to check the legitimacy of companies through official regulatory websites to protect themselves from fraud.

MENAFN16072025000117011021ID1109807689