Forced scamming is one of the most complex and fastest-growing forms of modern slavery in the world.
Putri’s* whole life was ahead of her.
She was 17, living in Indonesia and looking for the perfect start to her career. Her friend encouraged her to find a customer service job and she saw an ad from a gaming company in the Philippines.
She thought it was legitimate. She thought it was safe. But it was all too good to be true.
When she arrived in the Philippines, she was taken to a compound, had her passport stolen and was forced to scam people online. She had daily work targets, and her salary was deducted if she couldn’t meet them.
Putri’s experience is all too common. Today, forced scamming is one of the most complex and fastest-growing forms of modern slavery in the world.
Fake, white-collar jobs are advertised with offers too good to turn down. Qualified individuals, some educated and multilingual, start out with high hopes only to find themselves trapped.
Right now, there are likely hundreds of thousands of workers enslaved regionally in the scamming industry in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines.
And from official estimates and witness testimonies, we estimate that over $16B CAD is generated from this new form of trafficking every year in Cambodia alone.
But there is hope. There is something you can do! And Putri’s story is proof.
Putri was rescued by local police and brought to a shelter for trafficking survivors. There, she worked with IJM teams on her aftercare before she went back home to Indonesia.
Today, she’s still working with IJM to heal, rehabilitate, find a legitimate job and walk through the legal process to prosecute the scammers.
When she reflects on her experiences, Putri says, “I’m thankful to be rescued, protected and reunited with my family again. I’m also grateful for all the people and agencies who have helped me.”
Today, we need your help so more people can say these same words. If you can stand behind us with your support and generosity, we can rescue the enslaved, walk with them through healing and bring perpetrators to justice.
Forced scamming may be a lesser-known form of modern slavery, but it’s growing in the shadows. “Many young people from Indonesia like me [are] recruited online through various means, especially through social media,” says Putri. “It’s very alarming and it has to stop.”