Indians trapped in global job scam web

The internet is abuzz following the recent deportation of 104 undocumented Indians by the USA earlier this month Many job seekers desperate to settle abroad fall victim to job fraud These scammers often lure individuals with promises of lucrative jobs only for the victims to find themselves without passports visas or any legal documentation upon arrivalWithout proper immigration papers they are left vulnerable to deportation exploitation or worsemdashhighlighting the grave risks associated with falling for fraudulent job offers Scammers use various methods to exploit the dreams of job seekers including fake advertisements on social media platforms fraudulent recruitment agencies offering overseas jobs promises of quick visa clearances and offers of easy work with unrealistic salaries These manipulative tactics leave victims stranded often in vulnerable and dangerous situationsJob aspirants are lured by placement agencies with promises of lucrative IT jobs in Bangkok IllustrationsUday MohiteIn many cases scammers take advantage of the ease of access to nearby countries like Thailand Malaysia or certain parts of the Middle East that offer lsquovisaonarrivalrsquo services or simplified entry processes This is actually a hidden ploy to extort money from job aspirants under the guise of lsquoprocessing feesrsquo for their visas or other chargesVisaonarrival trickAfter landing in a country with visaonarrival access the scammers seize the job seekersrsquo passports and other valid documents claiming to complete the paperwork for visas to their dream destinations such as the USAMany job seekers fail to recognise the red flags before flying to a transit country and soon find themselves trapped in fake job rackets With no other option they are forced to follow the instructions of scammers many of whom are heavily armed and physically intimidatingThese unsuspecting victims arrive at Bangkok airport dreaming of success in a foreign land unaware of the horrors that await themAt this stage the scammers tell the victims that bypassing the visa process is the only way to secure highpaying jobs in countries with strict immigration controls such as the USA the UK Canada or certain Middle Eastern nationsDangerous travel conditionsThe scam takes a horrifying turn as the racketeers transport the victims using inhumane methods to enter countries where obtaining a visa is highly competitive Victims are left with no choice but to travel in cargo ships trucks or cramped private vehicles to cross borders illegallyCase studies and media reports have revealed that job seekers were forced to walk through jungles and remote areas where lsquoanimal carcasses and human skeletal remainsrsquo were scattered along the route Upon reaching their destination victims are either abandoned or forced into slavery often coerced into cybercrimesCase StudiesMyanmar slave tradeIn 2022 hundreds of Indians were illegally taken to an industrial park in Marvel Khat Myanmar where they were held captive by guntoting guards deployed by their Chinese employersUpon arrival they endure harsh travel conditions forced to trek through treacherous forests strewn with human remains while being monitoredmidday had published harrowing accounts of Indians subjected to torture by these captors The detainees were forced to lure other Indians into accepting lsquofantasticrsquo job offers The traffickers who spoke fluent SinoTibetan languages coordinated with border officials along the MyanmarThailand border to transport workers to cybercrime factories in MyanmarEach victim was given two mobile phonesmdashan iPhone 11 for committing cyber fraud and an iPhone 8 for personal use Victims told midday that their captors had pasted strong adhesive stickers over the lenses of their phone cameras to prevent them from taking photos or videosOne of the Indians held captive in Myanmar recounted how their Chinese captors offered them beef pork and dog meat to eat ldquoThe lentil soups were like hot salty water mixed with turmeric powderrdquo said one worker who was held hostage in Myanmar where Chinese captors operated cybercrime factoriesMore than half a dozen cybercrime factories were operational guarded by heavily armed personnel Those who pleaded for release were asked to pay exorbitant sums of money After much public outcry the Indians were eventually set freeDubai job scamUsing a modus operandi similar to the Myanmar case racketeers have been duping aspirants by offering fraudulent jobs in DubaiTargeting ITskilled youthIn September 2022 the Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory regarding fake job rackets targeting ITskilled youth ldquoInstances of fake job rackets offering lucrative jobs to entice Indian youths for the posts of lsquoDigital Sales and Marketing Executivesrsquo in Thailand by dubious IT firms involved in callcentre scams and cryptocurrency fraud have come to our notice through our missions in Bangkok and Myanmarrdquo the advisory statedldquoThe target groups are ITskilled youth who are duped into accepting data entry jobs in Thailand through social media advertisements and by agents based in Dubai and Indiardquo ldquoThe victims are reportedly taken across borders illegallymdashmostly into Myanmarmdashand held captive under harsh conditionsIndian nationals are advised to avoid falling for such fake job offers circulated on social media and other platforms Before travelling on a tourist or visit visa for employment they should verify the credentials of foreign employers through concerned missions abroad and check the background of recruiting agents and companiesrdquo the advisory statedRussia jobs scamMany Indians were allegedly tricked into joining the Russian army during the RussiaUkraine war They were misled by YouTubers and social media influencers who promised them jobs as helpers and security personnel in Russia However upon arrival they were forced into military activities handling weapons and undergoing combat training leaving them in grave dangerThe main recruiter was Mumbaibased agent Faisal Khan who operates a YouTube channel called lsquoBaba Blogsrsquo Though Khan came under the CBI scanner for his alleged role he claimed to be a victim of the same racketInternational racket is bustedIn November 2023 the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested nearly half a dozen fraudsters who had conned over 250 people seeking jobs abroad including in Azerbaijan Oman Dubai Saudi Arabia Qatar and Russia The fraudsters charged job aspirants nearly R1 lakh each for fake visasMEA speaksMinister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in December 2024 said ldquoThe government has received reports of dubious entities luring Indian youth with fake overseas job offers via social mediardquoHe added ldquoThe Ministry becomes aware of such frauds when complaints are filed by victims or their relatives Many Indians travelling abroad voluntarily fall prey to illegal recruitment agents using fraudulent channelsrdquoEmphasising safety he stated ldquoUnder The Emigration Act 1983 no person or agency can operate as a Recruiting Agent RA without a valid license from the Protector General of Emigrants This mandatory registration helps curb fraud and exploitationrdquoSingh also said ldquoComplaints against illegal agents are referred to state police for action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS and other laws Cybercrime authorities and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre I4C assist in taking down fraudulent social media postsrdquoHe concluded ldquoThe Ministry issues advisories through the eMigrate portal and awareness campaigns As of October 2024 3094 unregistered agents have been flaggedrdquo