A recent episode of a programme on Vijay TV highlighted an alarming issue that has grown in significance—cyber slavery. This modern-day form of exploitation has trapped hundreds of thousands globally, particularly in Southeast Asia, where job seekers fall victim to human trafficking disguised as employment opportunities. Young, tech-savvy individuals are lured by fraudulent job offers only to be forced into illegal online activities such as money laundering, cryptocurrency fraud, and “love scams,” where they deceive others by pretending to be romantic partners.
A United Nations report from August 2023 estimated that around 120,000 people in Myanmar and 100,000 in Cambodia have been coerced into these cyber-fraud operations.
In March 2024, authorities rescued hundreds of individuals from a scam operation in the Philippines, where victims were forced into online romance scams using fake identities. China has also intervened, repatriating hundreds of its citizens trapped in scam operations in Myanmar.
The rise of cyber slavery
Cyber slavery refers to the exploitation of individuals who are initially deceived online and later subjected to physical human trafficking. Victims are coerced into fraudulent activities, ranging from cryptocurrency scams to the creation of fake social media profiles. Many are lured with promises of high-paying jobs but are eventually trapped in harsh conditions, working up to 16 hours a day under threats of violence.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has noted that about 45% of cybercrimes targeting Indians originate from Southeast Asia. Since January 2023, around 100,000 complaints have been filed, highlighting the scale of this emerging crime. Indian victims, whose passports are often confiscated upon arrival, recount harrowing experiences of being forced to participate in online fraud and other illegal activities.
Bharatiyas caught in the web of scams
Between January 2022 and May 2024, a staggering 29,466 Indians who traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam on visitor visas have not returned. Most of these individuals are young adults aged between 20 and 39, with men making up the majority. Disturbingly, over one-third of these missing individuals hail from Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
Thailand, in particular, accounts for the majority of these cases, with 69% of missing persons reported from there. Many victims were promised jobs such as data entry roles, only to find themselves forced into cyber fraud schemes under duress. The missing individuals are primarily young adults, with more than half (17,115) aged between 20 and 39, and the majority being male (21,182). A significant portion of these missing persons come from Punjab (3,667), Maharashtra (3,233), and Tamil Nadu (3,124). Thailand accounts for the majority of cases, with 20,450 individuals—around 69%—reported missing after traveling there.
Additionally, notable numbers of missing persons hail from Uttar Pradesh (2,946), Kerala (2,659), Delhi (2,140), and Gujarat (2,068). Most of those who have not returned departed from Delhi airport (12,493), followed by Mumbai (4,699) and Kolkata (2,395).
The victims often recount being trapped in fraudulent operations, where they were forced to create fake social media profiles to lure unsuspecting individuals into investing in cryptocurrency scams. Many were subjected to physical threats to ensure compliance, while their passports were seized to prevent escape.
Modi govt response
The central government under Prime Minister Modi has taken some steps to address this growing crisis. In April 2024, 17 Indian workers were repatriated from Laos after being rescued from human traffickers. Similarly, 360 Indian citizens were rescued from Cambodia in May 2024, where they had been coerced into cyber fraud operations. The External Affairs Ministry has emphasized the need for background checks on potential employers to prevent such incidents.
In July 2024, eleven Indian nationals trapped in a job scam in Myanmar were rescued. The Indian embassy in Myanmar facilitated their release, underscoring the notorious reputation of scam operations in the region. In October 2024, 67 Indians trapped in job scams in Cambodia were also rescued, with 39 already repatriated to India. The embassy, in coordination with Cambodian authorities, played a pivotal role in securing their freedom.
Efforts to combat cyber slavery include the establishment of a high-level inter-ministerial committee tasked with enhancing mechanisms to prevent victimization. The committee, consisting of officials from the Home Ministry, Immigration Bureau, and the Reserve Bank of India, is working to safeguard vulnerable Indian citizens from falling prey to such schemes.
More needs to be done
While the Bharatiya government’s recent interventions are commendable, it is clear that more comprehensive measures are required to address the root causes of this issue. The rise in cyber slavery is a symptom of deeper socio-economic problems, including unemployment and lack of opportunities in Bharat, particularly for young adults. The lure of high-paying jobs abroad is tempting for many, but without significant economic reforms and job creation within Bharat, these individuals will continue to be vulnerable to exploitation.
The real solution lies not just in stopping these scams, but in creating robust employment opportunities within our borders. The urgent need is to accelerate industrialization and job creation across Bharat’s vast landscape.
However, we must remain vigilant. Anti-national elements and their liberal-leftist allies will likely attempt to weaponize this issue for political gain, potentially disrupting crucial development initiatives. Their agenda typically involves opposing industrial projects, blocking infrastructure development, and creating unrest under the guise of environmental or social concerns. The creation of a self-reliant, industrialized Bharat that provides ample opportunities for its youth is not just an economic imperative but a national security requirement. Every delayed project, and every stalled industry due to manufactured protests directly contribute to making our youth vulnerable to such international exploitation.
The choice is clear: either we fast-track Bharat’s industrial development, creating millions of jobs for our youth, or we risk seeing more of our talented young people fall prey to international criminal networks. The time has come for all patriotic citizens to unite behind the goal of rapid industrialization and resist those who would sacrifice our nation’s development at the altar of their political agenda.
