The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is cautioning U.S. job seekers against hoax postings forcing them into crypto scams.
Criminals lure job seekers to countries like Cambodia then threaten victims with law enforcement if they don’t pay for housing and travel fees.
Asian Authorities Label Job Seekers Illegal Workers
Applicants live in compounds where criminals force them to scam crypto investors to avoid prosecution. Victims are coerced into participating in pig butchering scams, which attract crypto investments through promises of relationships, sex, or illegal substances.
Criminals also burden job seekers with debt by trafficking them between compounds and confiscating passports.
Compounding the problem are authorities in Southeast Asia that label job seekers as illegal workers. A recent raid by Cambodian authorities revealed 262 foreigners working without permits.
Most victims returning to Thailand from cybercrime compounds often get prosecuted, said Surachate Hakparn of the Royal Thai Police.
Crypto Scams Target Jobless White-Collar and Graduate Demographic
Last year, experts warned against criminals trafficking white-collar employees who lost their jobs during the pandemic. This unemployment caused many middle-income victims to fall prey to trafficking.
Hong Kong law professor Patricia Ho said hoax ads have started looking increasingly legitimate.
“Victims are tricked to work in situations that come across to them initially as legitimate jobs,” Ho says. “It’s [easier] for more educated people to fall victim.”
South Asian syndicates target tech-savvy college graduates who know about cryptocurrency. The FBI warns job seekers to be aware of job ads with vague employment details and unusually good perks and advises U.S. citizens caught in forced labor to contact the U.S. Embassy.
The International Monetary Fund reported that corrupt officials sometimes cooperate with criminals to move victims across borders.
According to the Human Research Consultancy, South Asian authorities are less likely than the embassy to respond to victims’ pleas for assistance.
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