Africans increasingly trafficked to Cambodia's online scam operations, report finds

A new report reveals that African nationals are increasingly becoming victims of human trafficking networks that funnel them into online scam call center operations in Cambodia, a practice that has previously been well-documented for victims from Southeast and South Asian countries. Traffickers typically lure victims from African countries with promises of legitimate employment in technology, customer service, or other sectors in Southeast Asia. Upon arrival, victims find themselves held against their will and forced to conduct online fraud operations targeting people globally. The workers are compelled to run romance scams, cryptocurrency investment fraud, and other online deceptions. Those who resist or fail to meet scam targets are reportedly subjected to physical abuse. Anti-trafficking organizations and governments in affected African countries have raised alarm about the trend, calling for increased international cooperation to dismantle the networks running these operations. Cambodia has faced international pressure to shut down the scam compounds, which have proliferated in border regions and in areas previously controlled by armed groups. Some compounds have relocated to neighboring countries including Myanmar and Laos.