13th February 2024
Last night, IJM’s frontline work to stop forced scamming was featured on ITV News.
ITV correspondent Lucy Watson recently travelled with IJM to the border between Thailand and Myanmar, to see first-hand the heavily-guarded compounds where victims are trapped.
“It was hard to comprehend being there, that just 150 metres away from where we were standing, people were being forced to scam millions of pounds out of others from across the world…
“We spoke to victims. They told us how they were forced to do it. We witnessed a rescue, and we stood aghast at the size of it, where borders are porous and corruption is common.” – Lucy Watson, ITV News
ITV News highlighted IJM’s vital work in a special investigation on forced scamming and as the top headline story for ITV News at 10.
Catch up on this powerful ITV piece and see
the shocking reality of forced scamming:
Right now, traffickers are tricking people in South East Asia with fake job adverts and forcing them to scam people like you and me, under the threat of extreme violence.
“Failing to meet the criminals’ targets can mean being chained up, being beaten with sticks and even electrocution.” – Lucy Watson
Thanks to the support of people like you, IJM is one of the first organisations in the world working to stop this brutal form of trafficking.
So far, IJM has helped convict five traffickers and supported over 350 survivors of forced scamming. Young men and women like Sarah, who shares her story in this ITV piece.
Sarah was tricked with a false job offer, flown to Thailand and driven to the border with Myanmar where she was forced to scam people around the world, including in the UK.
She hated having to scam anyone and said that they made her target lonely people – she said men with AK-47s would control their work, and she witnessed horrific beatings that have left her with lasting trauma.
“The people that you’re with have your life in their hands. I had to do everything those people told me to do.” - Sarah
IJM teams supported Sarah as she found her way to freedom, and helped her to return home safely.
Watch Lucy and Sarah on ITV to see why your awareness of
this crime and action to stop it is so important:
We can stop forced scamming with the support of people like you: “When co-operation does happen, people can be freed. We saw it for ourselves.” – Lucy Watson
Forced scamming is one of the most complex and fast-growing forms of modern slavery in the world. It affects all of us – it's urgent we stop it.
Donate now to help IJM and police stop this brutal crime and other forms of slavery and violence around the world.