A high-paying job processed visa and dream of a better life abroad this is how it all begins. But what follows is a descent into digital slavery on cyber scam farms run from the shadows of Southeast Asia.
In a shocking exposé, two Indian youths both in their 20s have opened up about their harrowing experiences at scam hubs in Myawaddy a region on the Thailand-Myanmar border notorious for hosting massive cyber fraud operations. Lured by job promises in Thailand they were trafficked across the border held under surveillance and forced to carry out online cons for 16 hours a day.
Once inside, there was no escape. “Deliver or get punished,” said a 25-year-old from Sirsa who worked at the now-infamous KK Farms. They operated like call centres but for crime. Endless rows of computers hundreds of SIM cards, scripts for fake relationships, and high-stakes cons aimed at India, the US, and Germany.
The cyber scam system was well-oiled and brutal. Recruits were categorized into ‘developers’, ‘receptionists’ and ‘killers’ each tier playing a role in identifying, grooming, and eventually fleecing targets online. Fake dating profiles were created using images of Indian, Thai, and Pakistani models. Apps like Shaadi.com, Tinder, and Truly Madly were used to connect with men looking for love.
One man admitted he took on identities like “Anika Mishra” and tricked multiple targets simultaneously. The next step was psychological manipulation convincing victims they had found true love and introducing them to a fake business model: dropshipping.
At first, victims were shown how they could make small profits. But as trust built up, they were encouraged to invest lakhs sometimes crores into fake online storefronts. One target from Mumbai lost ₹2.5 crore after taking a personal loan, still clinging to the hope that he’d marry the woman he met online.
But it wasn’t just digital abuse. Physical threats and punishments were common for underperforming workers. “A couple from Rohtak when the husband refused to work, he was tortured with electric shocks. His wife was pregnant,” recalled the Sirsa youth.
The scam empire stretches beyond Myanmar. Cambodia and Thailand are also hotbeds for these high-tech fraud rings. While over 500 Indians have been repatriated recently in one of India’s biggest rescue operations, the root of the problem remains intact foreign jurisdiction, limited crackdown, and rising online desperation.
A senior security official said, “Many of these boys didn’t even know what they were signing up for. Some accepted it once they were inside, simply because the money was good.”
But the mental toll remains. From playing a woman to robbing emotionally vulnerable victims while trapped in a foreign land, the trauma runs deep. This is just the tip of the iceberg. A dark economy is thriving built on love, lies, and the digital pain of thousands.
