How human trafficking syndicates lure victims who turn into online scammers

SURABAYA, Indonesia – Bayu (not his real name), was an Indonesian high school graduate, whose parents had big dreams for him. The lure of hundreds of dollars in monthly compensation was too strong for him to ignore, that’s why he jumped at a job offer to be an IT staff member in Poland, earning $800 a month. 

This was in March 2023 and Bayu was only 21.

He left in March of the same year, but he found himself in Malaysia — not in Poland. Upon arrival, he was turned over to a certain Mr. S*, a friend of Mr. Z*, who coddled undocumented laborers in Perak, Malaysia. (SEE: Route maps)

Bayu learned that he would be working as a builder at Mr. S’s house. He tried to compel Mr. Z to take responsibility for the job promise that was not fulfilled in Poland, but Mr. Z appeared intent on absolving himself of any responsibility. After only three days of back-breaking work in construction, Bayu wanted to give up. 

While waiting for the appropriate moment to return to his village, Mr. S allowed Bayu to stay at his house for two weeks and fed him. In April 2023, Bayu eventually paid for his own return journey from Malaysia to his home in Blitar — 167 kilometers away from Surabaya, capital of East Java province in Indonesia.

In January 2024, he was offered another job opportunity abroad by Mr. S. Recalling his benevolence in Perak, Malaysia a year ago, Bayu was once again enticed by an offer from Mr. S of an IT worker position, this time in Singapore. He left on February 26, 2023. 

But unfortunately, instead of working in Singapore, Bayu found himself being transported to a casino site in Chob Kokir Khang Lich, next to the border between Cambodia and Thailand on March 2, 2024. 

“It was a casino and resort area. The one in front of the casino building, and the one behind it is where we operate as fraudsters,” Bayu explained.

Each day, he had to work for 14 hours, with a threat of being subject to electric shock if he fell asleep. The hard work didn’t earn him any income as his supposed earnings were constantly subjected to deductions by the corporation for a variety of reasons. 

After two months of looking for a way out via social media, Bayu was found and rescued by the Indonesian embassy in Cambodia and the Justisia Madani Indonesia Integrity Foundation (IJMI). He safely returned to Indonesia on June 24, 2024.

Exploiting loopholes

Similar to those who fall prey to human trafficking, the targets of internet scams originate from a growing variety of backgrounds. Some are highly proficient in new languages and possess unique cultural knowledge, which make them easy targets for criminal activity. 

The Interpol website says that although the majority of those who are targeted are of Chinese descent, an increasing number of them are now from North America, Europe, and other regions of Asia.

The contact centers that engage in fraud are attracting increasingly skilled workers as job titles found in the fictitious job offers now include “e-commerce managers” or “IT workers,” in place of the more ordinary posts for “telephone operator” or “simple tasks in a call.”

This is explained in part by the ratio of the working population to the total population in Southeast Asia — relatively larger compared to the ratio for East Asia. 

The Asian Development Bank Institute report in 2021 classified Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines as young societies. This “demographic bonus” has become a loophole open to exploitation by human trafficking syndicates in Southeast Asia.

Individuals in the productive age group of 20-35 years old are particularly vulnerable targets, according to the IJMI. Indonesia is a prime target for human traffickers because of the large number of working-age people.

The Directorate General of Protocol and Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yudha Nugraha, said that the job offers abroad circulate on social media and target young people or the Gen Z.

“The job offer mode with a salary of IDR 15 million* to IDR 20 million* for the younger generation is circulating on social media, but does not ask for special qualifications, even the ability to speak English,” said Yudha.

No due diligence

Recruiters increasingly eye fresh talent beyond Jakarta’s borders. They scout for high school graduates and undergraduates in Java and Sumatra satellite cities, tapping into a wider pool of young, ambitious minds eager to enter the workforce abroad. 

Try Harysantoso, director of IJMI, said that young Indonesians are susceptible to being victims of internet scams because they seek high-paying jobs. Since its founding in March 2023, the organization has provided assistance to nearly 100 victims of slavery and online fraud, resulting in their successful repatriation from Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Philippines. 

Some agents or recruiters target victims who speak English and have at least a bachelor’s degree. These coerced fraud victims to think that because of the stringent standards, they would be hired well and paid well.

Since the application standards are tailored to highly-competent candidates, they are convinced that this is a legitimate recruiting procedure from an established business. “So the lure of high salary benefits is a reasonable thing to meet the needs of life abroad and then be able to send money to family in Indonesia,” Try said.

The vulnerability of Indonesians is exacerbated by their failure to verify information about the recruiter’s company. One case involved a victim of coerced online fraud who was deceived by a job vacancy at “Amazon Thailand.” In reality, Jeff Bezos’ company does not conduct business in Thailand. 

The recruiter covered all expenses for the journey to Thailand. “Well, they didn’t make sure beforehand. They accepted it right away,” he said.

Finding victims

The syndicate’s agents labor non-stop in rural areas and on the fringes of cities to find naive young workers. Mr. Z, Bayu’s recruiter, was described by his father’s acquaintance as “a great person who has traveled the world.” 

This was compelling enough for Bayu and his family. Not only did Mr. Z come to their house, he also relentlessly persuaded Bayu’s parents with films and video calls, as if to highlight the success of those he had assisted in working overseas. 

For example, he showed a video showing Indonesian laborers harvesting fruit in an agricultural area in England. “We believed [him] because his words were extraordinarily sweet.”

However, Bayu knew something was wrong when his departure got complicated and involved taking a round-about route. When he asked why he couldn’t just go directly from Surabaya to Singapore, where he was supposed to have gotten a job as an IT worker, his companion told him, “Just follow us!”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said these recruiters manipulate their victims often by handling pre-departure expenses such as tickets, placement fees, and visa-free facilities for ASEAN countries. The victims are also usually dispatched using tourist visas, instead of work visas.

The recruitment goes beyond targeting young Indonesians in villages, towns, and districts, and extends to social media and e-commerce. What is termed as “head swapping” by IJMI’s Try, also ensures a steady stream of recruits among “friends, relatives, nearby acquaintances to go to the regions of Southeast Asia, where the compounds are located.”

According to Try, “The people at the recruitment desk within the company are indeed tasked with recruiting new individuals.” Those who participate in “head swapping,” however, often do so under threat and coercion. “The aim is for the victim to receive a reduced sentence and be able to return to their country.”

Those who succeed in the “head swapping” scheme can earn anywhere from US$50 to $100 in commission, according to Bayu. This is unfortunate “because there are those who are truly trapped and want to go home,” he said.

Inter-government cooperation

From 2020-2023, there were 2,434 online scam cases involving Indonesians who were victimized and brought to various countries in Southeast Asia, according to the Directorate General of Indonesian Immigration. Here’s the breakdown:

• Cambodia – 1,233 
• Philippines – 469 
• Laos – 276 
• Myanmar – 205 
• Thailand – 187 
• Vietnam – 34 
• Malaysia – 30 

Numbers have increased sharply compared to the previous year. In 2021, 116 cases were recorded in Cambodia, while there were 77 cases in Myanmar. No similar numbers were provided for the other countries in the same period. Indonesian Immigration, however, pointed out that Cambodia recorded an eight-fold increase in the number of cases compared to 2021. 

ASEAN governments have made an effort to repatriate Indonesian citizens who are victims of human trafficking. In 2022, around 484 Indonesian citizens were repatriated from Cambodia, including 202 by charter plane, compared to 23 from Laos.

In July 2023, 10 Indonesians were repatriated from Cambodia with the assistance of the Cambodian government, while 26 other Indonesian citizens were repatriated from Myanmar with the help of the Indonesian embassy in Yangon.  

On June 26, 2023, Indonesian Immigration officials, aided by the Philippine government, conducted a rescue operation for 137 Indonesians who were trapped in the premises of an online fraud company.

Support systems needed

The role of the family and the surrounding environment is crucial so that no one else becomes a victim of human trafficking. Harold Aron of Legal Services at IJMI, said families often remain unaware of the victims’ occupations. 

This complicates support efforts and case management. The foundation grapples with bridging information gaps while providing aid. Secrecy surrounding the victims’ work creates barriers to effective assistance and family involvement.

“Many do not tell their families when they get a job vacancy abroad. When they are already held hostage in a foreign country, they are moved to collect evidence. The role of the family is important to remind and monitor each other,” he said. 

Bayu said his parents kept his work-related leave from home secret at the time. None of their nearby neighbors were told because they didn’t want to become the subject of gossip in the community. His mother waited until he had established himself as a successful person later, before talking about his experience.

“Having a network of support from others around you is crucial. My neighbors could have reminded me and saved me if they had been notified about my job back then,” Bayu said.

When loved ones fall prey to online fraud syndicates, victims need a clear path to seek help. Accessible complaint procedures are crucial in combating these insidious schemes. “Authorities should publicize official channels for reporting such crimes. This empowers families to take swift action, potentially rescuing trapped relatives like Bayu,” Aron added. 

Through socialization and education on safe migration, the government must strengthen preventative measures. Aron highlighted three of them:

• First, by disseminating details on positions that are officially open under the government-to-government approach. (G2G). “For instance, positions that have been legally confirmed, job offers, and those registered with Badan Perlindungan Pekerja Pekerja Migran Indonesia (Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency), with agents and facilities serving as an official employment distributor,” said Aron. 
• Second, information on the qualifications to work overseas and about official agents acting as labor brokers should be provided.
• Third, details on the evolving political landscape should be provided, too,  considering the embargo on employment in the Middle East and war in Myanmar. “All that information can be packaged in the form of online media or distributed to the village or university areas.”

– Rappler.com

Artika Farmita is a journalist and fact-checker for Tempo.co, based in Surabaya, Indonesia. She is one of Rappler’s #FactsMatter Fellows for 2024.

*Not their real names
*IDR 15 million to IDR 20 million = P55.616 to P74.155.