GENEVA (AN) — At least 300,000 people from 66 countries have been trafficked into criminal online scam operations, according to a new report from the U.N. human rights office, which describes a transnational industry combining cybercrime with forced labor.
The study released on Friday examines networks operating mainly in Southeast Asia but recruiting globally through fraudulent job offers promising legitimate work abroad. Many victims travel voluntarily before being confined in guarded compounds and compelled to carry out financial scams targeting people overseas.
