Pay Attention to the Victims Behind Scams, Various Groups Urge

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the report spotlights rising trafficking into scam centers, especially across Southeast Asia.

Victims from many countries are forced to run fraud schemes under threats, abuse, and confinement, turning scam compounds into sites of modern slavery.

IOM chief Amy Pope and a trafficked Ugandan engineer’s case in Myanmar underscore how transnational scam networks exploit vulnerable workers.

Governments, companies, and philanthropies — including the U.S., Meta, Google, and others — are stepping up efforts to disrupt scam operations and protect victims.