The Indian embassy in Laos announced on Sunday that thirteen Indian nationals, who had been lured into cyber-scamming centres in the South Asian country, have been rescued and returned to India. "In our continued work to ensure the safety and well-being of Indians as a top priority, the Embassy successfully rescues 13 Indians from cyber scamming centres in Laos and ensures their safe return to India," the mission posted on 'X'.
"So far, the Embassy has rescued 518 Indians. We thank Lao authorities for their cooperation," it added. The Indian embassy had previously issued an advisory on May 7, warning against fake job offers targeting Indian nationals.
"Instances have come to our notice recently wherein Indian nationals are being lured for employment through Thailand," it stated. The advisory highlighted that these fake job offers were for positions such as 'Digital Sales and Marketing Executives' or 'Customer Support Service' by dubious companies involved in call-center scams and cryptocurrency fraud in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos.
Agents operating in Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and India have been recruiting Indians through simple interviews and tests, the advisory noted. "Victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions," it explained.
The embassy also detailed that at times, the victims are taken hostage by criminal syndicates engaging in illegal activities and are forced to work under strenuous conditions with constant physical and mental torture. Furthermore, the advisory mentioned instances of Indian workers being brought to Laos to work in low-cost jobs such as mining and wood factories in other regions of the country.
(With Inputs from agencies)
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