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A Malaysian man, identified only as John for his protection, found himself entangled in a harrowing ordeal after responding to a job advertisement on Facebook, allegedly orchestrated by a human trafficking ring that coerced him into participating in cryptocurrency scams.
Deceptive Offer Leads to Captivity
John stumbled upon a post on a Facebook group advertising what seemed like a legitimate customer service job linked to a Cambodian casino. With his employment prospects dwindling amid the Covid-19 pandemic, John saw this as a lifeline. The employer, promising to cover all expenses, arranged for John to fly from Thailand, where he resided, to Sihanoukville, a coastal city in Cambodia.
However, upon arrival, John's passport was confiscated, and he was confined to the fourth floor of a compound along with other captives for a grueling four-month period.
Forced Participation in Cryptocurrency Scams
John, fluent in three languages, was coerced into perpetrating crypto scams, specifically targeting Canadians and other English-speaking individuals, in a fraudulent scheme known as pig-butchering. This modus operandi involved cultivating relationships with potential victims to gain their trust and persuade them to invest in cryptocurrency assets.
Under duress, John engaged in online conversations with unsuspecting individuals, convincing them to make dubious crypto investments. He is expected to target 15 new victims daily.
According to Daily Hodl, any deviation from the traffickers' directives resulted in physical abuse, including beatings and electric shocks.
Despite his captivity, John attempted to seek help using an online messaging app on his phone, but his efforts were foiled, leading to his sale to another fraudulent enterprise for $11,000.
Rescue and Redemption
John's salvation came through his resourcefulness. He managed to contact the International Justice Mission (IJM), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating trafficking and modern-day slavery. In collaboration with authorities, Jake Sims, IJM's country director for Cambodia, orchestrated John's rescue.
Sims highlight individuals like John as prime targets for traffickers, given their multilingual skills, educational background, and familiarity with technology.
According to Blockchain News, desperate for employment opportunities amidst economic hardship, they become vulnerable to exploitation.
John's ordeal underscores the dangers lurking in the digital realm, where unsuspecting individuals can fall victim to nefarious schemes orchestrated by criminal syndicates, highlighting the imperative for continued vigilance and intervention to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations.
Photo: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash
