Attempt to send Tamil Nadu youth for 'cyber slavery' in Cambodia foiled

Chennai: An attempt by an agent to send three Tamil Nadu youth to Cambodia for employment in "fraudulent, scam-based companies for cyber slavery" was foiled by the Protector of Emigrants (POE), Chennai, and the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch CID, police said on Friday.

The youngsters were stopped before they could travel abroad, and the agent was apprehended during a raid at his office in Tiruchirappalli.

The agent lured the victims with promises of well-paying jobs in Cambodia and convinced them to pay allegedly large sums of money for job placements, a release said.

Desperate to bypass legal emigration procedures, the agent instructed the youngsters to travel on tourist visas and misled authorities at the airport about the purpose of their travel.

After learning of the plot, one of them opted out of the travel, while the other two were intercepted at Kochi airport before they could board their flight.

Following a tip-off, POE Chennai, along with the state CB-CID, launched an operation and arrested the agent in Tiruchirappalli. Further investigation is ongoing.

M Rajkumar, Protector of Emigrants for Tamil Nadu, urged job-seekers to exercise extreme caution, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

"It is crucial to ensure that overseas employment is arranged only through licensed recruitment agents authorized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)," he said in a statement.

POE Chennai strongly advised potential emigrants to verify the credentials of recruiting agencies before making any financial commitments. A list of licensed agents can be found at emigrate.gov.in.

He warned of stringent action against those violating the Emigration Act and urged anyone aware of illegal recruitment or cyber slavery activities to inform POE Chennai at 9042149222 or register complaints in person at the office. Further information on licensed agents and advisories can also be obtained at emigrate.gov.in, Rajkumar added.

Cyber slavery is an emerging and alarming form of modern-day trafficking. Individuals are coerced or trafficked into committing online scams for organised criminal networks under duress. This growing cybercrime exploits vulnerable people, trapping them in illegal activities and online frauds.