Three friends brought to safety from forced scamming in Cambodia
Summary:
In a landmark cross-border operation, three friends – Thura*, Zeya*, and Htet* – are free from a forced scamming compound in Cambodia, thanks to coordinated action by IJM and police across three countries in Southeast Asia.
After losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the men had accepted what appeared to be legitimate jobs advertised online. Instead, they were horrified to find they’d been trafficked from Thailand across the Cambodian border and trapped in a remote compound.
“At that time, I was jobless. When I heard about the job and saw that the salary was good, I said [to Zeya and Htet], ‘Let’s go!’ It was a good opportunity, and we didn’t think that it could be a scam.” - Thura
Cut off from the world and surrounded by guards, they quickly realised they were trapped. Forced to pose as women online and scam strangers into fake crypto investments, they worked 18-hour days under constant surveillance and the threat of extreme violence. If they failed to meet daily quotas, they were berated, beaten, and denied rest.
Escape felt impossible.
After months, the friends secretly found a way to reach out for help. IJM teams worked closely with authorities to locate and bring them to safety. Once free, the men were cared for in a shelter and supported to return home safety.
Today, Thura, Zeya, and Htet are rebuilding their lives, working in a tailoring business, and pursuing justice against their traffickers, supported by IJM.
“I’m very grateful to IJM from Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar. They help us a lot and they give us full support. Because of them, we are very happy right now. Thank you so much.” - Htet
This case marks one of IJM’s first cross-border scamming operations and highlights the power of coordinated aftercare. IJM teams worked seamlessly across borders to ensure the men received consistent support, increasing the possibility of justice, and protection for others.
Learn more about IJM’s approach to coordinated aftercare.
*Pseudonyms.