MAE SOT, Thailand (AP) — Thousands of sick, exhausted, and terrified young men and women, from countries all over the world, squat in rows, tightly packed shoulder to shoulder, surgical masks covering their mouths and noses. Their nightmare was supposed to be over. Last month, a dramatic and highly publicized operation by Thai, Chinese, and Myanmar authorities led to the release of more than 7,000 people from locked compounds in Myanmar, where they were forced to trick Americans and others out of their life savings. But survivors have found themselves trapped once again, this time in overcrowded facilities with no medical care, limited food, and no idea when they will be sent home.
One young man from India, speaking under anonymity for safety, reported about 800 people crammed together in the same facility, sharing merely 10 dirty toilets. He shared, "If we die here with health issues, who is responsible for us?" Many there are feverish and coughing, stuck waiting as armed groups and Thai officials wait for their home governments to respond.
This situation is shaping up to be one of the largest potential rescues of forced laborers in modern history. Yet, advocates are alarmed, arguing the first significant effort to crack down on the cyber scam industry has morphed instead, spiraling rapidly toward a growing humanitarian crisis. The people released from these compounds are just a small fraction of what could be around 300,000 people working under similar conditions across the region, according to estimates from the United States Institute of Peace.
Human rights organizations warn the networks running these scams will continue to operate until much broader actions are taken against them. Initially, many of these victims were lured to Thailand with promises of lucrative office jobs, only to find themselves locked away, forced to work up to 16-hour days running scams on unsuspecting victims. "Your passport is confiscated, you cannot go outside, and everything is like hell, a living hell," lamented another survivor from Pakistan.
Cyber scams run from these compounds saw significant growth during the pandemic, demonstrating ruthlessly effective methods targeting people across the globe. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates loss figures between $18 billion and $37 billion just for Asia alone over the past year, with minimal government action against this flourishing criminal industry.
Push for reform began earlier this year after a young Chinese actor was trafficked to Myanmar, misleadingly invited under the pretense of being cast for an acting job. His girlfriend led a viral social media campaign resulting in his release. Subsequently, senior officials from China demanded effective action against these scams be taken - which led to drastic steps by Thailand. That included cutting electricity, internet, and gas supplies to five border towns across Myanmar.
Shortly after, ethnic militia groups controlling parts of Myanmar, such as the Kayin Border Guard Force and the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army, began to ask some of the trapped scammers if they wished to leave, escorting them out of their compounds.
This wave of rescues has resulted, paradoxically, in former slaves being caught once again, now trapped across the thin river separating them from freedom. Most have been held since early February under conditions deemed unsanitary, either at Army camps governed by the Kayin Border Guard Force or repurposed scam compounds, where housing each person involves minimal comfort and lack of food.
An unconfirmed Myanmar authority list cites citizens from 29 countries, including the Philippines, Kenya, and the Czech Republic, are being held. The authorities insist they will not permit foreigners to cross the border from Myanmar until returning them immediately to their countries. On March 6, 2025, China began chartering flights from Mae Sot airport to retrieve its citizens. Yet, many others, like the roughly 130 Ethiopians still stranded and awaiting $600 plane tickets, remain stuck without clear resolution.
Thai officials held meetings with foreign embassies this past week, pledging to act “as quickly as possible” to facilitate the safe return of their citizens. The catch, though, is they can manage receiving only 300 individuals per day, down from 500, strictly operating Monday through Friday. Thailand also announced it would allow embassy representatives to cross over to Myanmar to assist their citizens directly.
The Indian Embassy has not commented concerning their nationals, nor could the Czech Foreign Ministry confirm the status of their citizens caught up within this emergency. Aid meanwhile, remains scarce; assistance for those caught is being coordinated by small nonprofit groups with limited resources. Amy Miller, head of Acts of Mercy International, noted their facilities across the river struggle with the demand brought on by today’s extensive numbers. “We’re overwhelmed by these numbers,” she stated. “It requires response at the global level.”
This crisis ties back to years of ineffective responses to trafficking, with many victims being exploited for economic gains under false pretenses. “What we’re currently witnessing at the Thai-Myanmar border is symptomatic of systemic issues left unaddressed,” said Joe Freeman, researcher with Amnesty International Myanmar. Being compelled to commit crimes under duress should not result in detaining individuals upon their return to their home countries, he insisted, yet many face prosecutions for their exploitation.
It remains unclear if these recent rescue operations will genuinely alter the practices of the criminal enterprises operating the scam farms. Reports indicate it marks the third such attempt to sever power access to these compounds, but they’ve managed to adapt, using generators or alternative internet sources.
While there is substantial pressure on the militia running this area to act and assist briefly, the continuous operations offer little change to activities of the scam centers. “There are no significant prosecutions or shutdowns of the compounds,” summed up one young Pakistani man unable to escape from these camps. While once filled with hope, the experience has turned nightmarish, and many now are left with the haunting question: “Is anyone coming for us?”
The Associated Press is investigating cyber scams. If you or someone you know has experienced being forced to scam others, reach out to AP's global investigative team at [email protected].