In Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of people working in fraud centres are scamming people across the world. US authorities suggest the fraudsters are responsible for scams worth almost $10 billion a year against US nationals alone. Victims in Europe, the UK and China have also been targeted. Human rights groups further warn that those working in the centres are often themselves victims of human trafficking – forced to work as slaves.
As the International Conference on Combating Online Scams gets underway in Cambodia, FRANCE 24’s Jan Camenzind Broomby reports on China’s efforts to crack down on scam centres in neighbouring Myanmar. Warning: this report contains accounts of violence and graphic footage. Viewer discretion is advised.