“Cyber slavery” is a recognized form of modern human trafficking where victims are forced to work in online scam operations, primarily located in fortified compounds in Southeast Asia

. These victims are lured by fake high-paying job offers, have their passports confiscated, and are forced to engage in criminal activities under threat of violence. The term “free labor” is used in this context to describe the exploitation of these individuals, as they are not fairly compensated and their freedom is entirely removed. 

How Victims Are Exploited

• Deceptive Recruitment: Victims, often educated and computer-literate, are targeted through social media with promises of legitimate, well-paid jobs in fields like marketing or IT.
• Human Trafficking: Once they travel to the specified location (often Bangkok), they are transported across borders to fortified compounds in countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Forced Labor Conditions: Upon arrival, their passports are seized, and they are forced to work 12 to 18 hours a day, performing various online scams such as “pig butchering” (romance and investment fraud) and “digital arrests”.
• Abuse and Control: Failure to meet demanding targets can result in brutal punishments, including beatings, food deprivation, and electrocution.
• Global Impact: Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are estimated to be trapped in these situations, creating a multi-billion-dollar cyberfraud industry. 

Seeking Help

If you or someone you know might be a victim of human trafficking or forced labor, there are organizations that can help:

• International Justice Mission (IJM): IJM works with local authorities and partners to rescue victims and bring criminals to justice. More information is available on their website IJM.org.
• Free the Slaves: This international human rights group focuses on the eradication of modern slavery Free the Slaves.
• National Human Trafficking Hotline (US): In the United States, you can call 1-888-373-7888, text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733, or use the National Human Trafficking Hotline website for assistance.
• Walk Free: An international human rights group focused on ending modern slavery Walk Free. 

International organizations like the United Nations and the International Labour Organization are working to address this issue and set standards to combat modern slavery in the digital realm. 

The term “cyber slaves” refers to victims of 

human trafficking who are forced to work in fortified cyber scam centers, primarily in Southeast Asia. These individuals are lured by fake job offers and then held captive, tortured, and forced to run online fraud schemes. 

The Reality of Cyber Slavery

• Recruitment Victims, often young and computer-literate, are typically recruited through social media ads or personal contacts with promises of high-paying jobs in data entry, marketing, or IT in foreign countries.
• Trafficking and Captivity Upon arrival in a hub city (like Bangkok), their passports are confiscated, and they are transported to guarded, prison-like compounds, often in border regions of Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Contracts are torn up, and they are forced into labor.
• Forced Labor and Abuse Victims are forced to work long hours (up to 18-19 hours a day) and commit various online scams, including “pig butchering” (romance and investment fraud) and “digital arrest” scams targeting people worldwide. Refusal to work or failure to meet daily targets can result in brutal physical punishment, beatings, electrocution, and food deprivation.
• Scale of the Crisis The United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into these operations across Southeast Asia. 

Combating Cyber Slavery

International organizations, governments, and NGOs are working to rescue victims and combat these criminal syndicates. 

• Rescue and Repatriation Efforts involve coordinating with local authorities to conduct rescue operations and facilitate the safe return of victims to their home countries.
• Legal Action Organizations like the International Justice Mission (IJM) advocate for police reports to be filed and support the prosecution of traffickers.
• Public Awareness Raising awareness about job scams that sound “too good to be true” is a key preventative measure to stop people from falling victim to these schemes in the first place. 

For victims of financial scams perpetrated by these operations, the FBI recommends reporting incidents to their Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).