The United Nations Human Rights Commission alerts to the rapid surge of victims in Southeast Asia becoming entangled in crypto scams.
“People who are forced to take part in online scams are most often trafficked persons and migrants in vulnerable situations who face a range of human rights risks, violations and abuses,” the report declares.
There Are Two Types of Victims In Crypto Scams
A recent report from the UN indicates that there are two types of victims in these crypto scam operations. The first are those who suffer financial losses, as well as individuals coerced into orchestrating the crypto scam operations:
“At the outset it is important to acknowledge that there are two sets of victims in this complex phenomenon. People who have been defrauded through online criminality are victims of the financial and other crimes committed by these scam operations.”
It highlights how these crypto scams operating in Southeast Asia force “hundreds of thousands” of individuals to become involved. The conditions are inhumane and are “victims of serious human right violations.”
The UN reports that the majority drawn to these crypto scams are men. However, women and children are also facing targeting. It stresses that many are getting transported across borders.
“Most are not citizens of the countries in which the trafficking occurs, however reports have indicated that at least in some countries nationals are also being targeted.”
The rise of technology in the region has enabled opportunists to take advantage of the situation, according to the UN:
“In recent years, Southeast Asia has seen exponential growth in digital technology, business and e-commerce, specifically cryptocurrencies and online gaming as well as increasing digitization and “appification,” the report states.
FBI Recent Warning About Crypto Job Scams
Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has alerted US job seekers about deceptive job listings that coerce them into participating in crypto scams.
The FBI warn that criminals entice job seekers to nations like Cambodia. They then trap them into pig butchering schemes. This allures people into crypto investments through false promises of relationships, sex, or illegal substances.
It further warns that these scammers will confiscate passports, making it harder to escape the operations.
Experts warn that victims extend beyond just those in poverty. White-collar employees who lost their jobs during the pandemic are also targets.
The FBI advises job seekers to watch out for vague job ads with overly appealing benefits. They also recommend US citizens caught in forced labor to contact the US Embassy.
