UN Report Uncovers Trafficking Networks Powering Global Online Scam Industry
A new report by the UN Human Rights Office has revealed widespread human trafficking and serious abuses linked to the global expansion of online scam operations, particularly in Southeast Asia but increasingly across other regions.
The report documents the experiences of hundreds of thousands of people trafficked from dozens of countries into scam centres operating as highly organised enterprises. Survivors interviewed by UN Human Rights described being subjected to torture, sexual exploitation, food deprivation, solitary confinement and other severe abuses, often after being lured with false job offers.
Using satellite imagery and field reporting, the UN found that nearly three-quarters of identified scam operations are concentrated in the Mekong region, spanning countries such as Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar. However, similar operations have spread to parts of South Asia, the Pacific, the Gulf States, West Africa and the Americas, reflecting the growing reach of the industry.
According to the report, victims originate from a wide range of countries, including Bangladesh, China, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe. Many were trafficked between 2021 and 2025 into scam compounds in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, where they were coerced into carrying out online fraud schemes such as impersonation scams, financial extortion and romance fraud.
Survivors described being held in large, fortified compounds resembling self-contained towns, some spanning hundreds of acres and guarded by armed security personnel. These centres operated with strict hierarchies and enforced productivity through intimidation and punishment. Those who failed to meet revenue targets were reportedly subjected to harsh treatment, while escape attempts often resulted in severe reprisals.
The report also highlights the role of corruption in sustaining these operations. Victims recounted cases of border officials assisting recruiters, as well as threats and extortion by police, creating an enabling environment for trafficking networks to operate with limited interference.
In some cases, traffickers reportedly contacted victims’ families through video calls to pressure them into paying ransoms, while wages promised to workers were systematically reduced through penalties and fabricated debts. One survivor told investigators that daily financial targets could reach thousands of dollars, with punishment imposed for underperformance.
Describing the findings, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the scale of abuse was “staggering and heart-breaking,” adding that victims often face disbelief, stigma or further punishment instead of protection and rehabilitation.
He stressed that effective responses must be grounded in international human rights standards, including recognising forced criminality within anti-trafficking laws and ensuring that victims are not punished for crimes they were coerced into committing. The report also calls for coordinated rescue operations, protection against forced return, and access to trauma rehabilitation services.
To prevent further trafficking, the UN urged governments to expand safe labour migration pathways, strengthen oversight of recruitment practices and verify online job advertisements. The report also recommends engaging community-based and survivor-led organisations to raise awareness among vulnerable populations through trusted media channels.
Mr. Türk further called on States to confront corruption linked to scam operations and to prosecute the criminal syndicates behind them, while safeguarding the work of independent media, civil society groups and human rights defenders involved in anti-trafficking efforts.
The report concludes that without stronger international cooperation, accountability and protection mechanisms, the global scam industry will continue to grow, exacting an increasing human cost on vulnerable populations worldwide.
