CENEVRE
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned Tuesday that trafficking into online scam centers has become one of the world’s “fastest-growing” forms of human trafficking, with victims from more than 80 countries lured by fraudulent job offers and forced into criminal operations.
Speaking ahead of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on Thursday, IOM Director General Amy Pope told reporters in Geneva that criminal networks are increasingly targeting educated job seekers through advertisements on social media.
“They present (it) completely as a regular job,” Pope said, noting that many recruits speak English well and hold university degrees.
She said victims arriving at scam compounds often have their passports confiscated, face physical and psychological abuse and are prevented from leaving.
Describing the operations as “highly organized” and “highly profitable,” Pope cited recent UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates showing annual global losses from online scam operations reached between $88 billion and $114 billion last year.
Pope said the IOM has assisted more than 3,500 survivors from 33 countries, many of whom return home deeply traumatized, burdened by debt and with few remaining resources after months or years in captivity.
She also warned that survivors are often wrongly treated as criminals rather than victims, calling for stronger cross-border cooperation, prevention efforts and public awareness to disrupt trafficking networks and protect people from deceptive recruitment schemes.
Pope said an estimated 300,000 people are working in online scam centers, adding that while not all are trafficking victims, a significant number were deceived into entering the compounds and remain beyond the reach of assistance.
