Following the capture of an international cyber fraud gang in Rourkela, Odisha, startling revelations are coming to the forefront. Investigations by agencies have uncovered that educated and computer-savvy Indian youths are being lured to Cambodia with the guise of employment, only to become victims of 'cyber slavery'. The Ministry of Home Affairs' cyber wing, I4C, conducted a thorough examination, leading to shocking discoveries. Subsequently, the MHA was briefed, and discussions on combating cyber fraud gangs were had in a high-level meeting with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Indeed, following the Rourkela police's recent crackdown on individuals involved in a 'fake stock trading app', it was revealed that those partaking in cyber crimes had returned from Cambodia to India. After their return, they began operating a large-scale cyber fraud gang. Sources divulge that an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 individuals have travelled from India to Cambodia, where they are being coerced into cyber fraud activities. According to sources, the MHA's cyber wing has also held discussions with Ministry of External Affairs officials regarding a comprehensive list of criminals involved in similar frauds, deliberating on steps to be taken against them. The Indian community living in Cambodia is being forcefully targeted by local cyber criminals, coercing them into 'cyber slavery', a fact that has all agencies concerned and urging swift action.
The ploy involves recruitment under false pretenses, then enforcing fraud schemes
Sources have exclusively revealed to Aaj Tak that a large gang operates in Cambodia, which includes individuals from Malaysia, China, Vietnam, and Myanmar. This collective conducts online recruitment of Indians under the pretense of offering employment. The Indians who travel to Cambodia for work are then forced to engage in cyber fraud schemes. Recently, two such individuals were detained by Rourkela police. Interrogation clarified how these perpetrators transported guileless Indian youths, experts in computers, from India, and then subjected them to 'cyber slavery' in Cambodia.
Cambodia's gangs: A methodical operation
According to investigations by the agencies and the MHA's cyber wing, it turns out that the owners of fraud companies tend to be Chinese nationals. They appoint Malaysians or Cambodians as translators to communicate with others. The racket also involves individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Cambodia working as agents. These agents recruit people from India for legitimate work but upon reaching Cambodia, they are sold off to scam companies.
Once these individuals are in Cambodia, companies seize their passports and make them work on scams for up to 12 hours a day. Any refusal to comply leads to physical abuse, including electric shocks or solitary confinement. Many Indians who are unwilling to participate in such scams end up trapped in Cambodia. Agencies are working on identifying and reaching out to them, with the objective to safely return them to India. Critical information about the locations of the fraudulent companies, their workers, operating methods, and management is being gathered.
Cambodia has become a hub for cyber fraud
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) recently held an annual press conference addressing cyber fraud incidents. It was disclosed that most cyber fraud cases are originating from Cambodia, Dubai, China, and Myanmar. Agencies are taking stern measures in response. Daily, approximately 5,000 complaints of cyber fraud are registered, with a growth rate of 113% in 2021 and 22. This rate decreased to 69% in 2022-23. Jharkhand's Jamtara, Mewat, and now Bengaluru are emerging as major hotspots for cyber crime.
CEO Rajesh Kumar shared the vision of creating a secure cyber space for Indian citizens. I4C received a budget of ₹340 crores from the Ministry of Home Affairs. In 2014, a ministry expert group was formed which recommended the creation of this institution in 2018. Initially established for addressing rape and gang rape cases, I4C now also handles all types of cyber-related cases.
Daily volume of cyber crime helpline calls is staggering
Rajesh Kumar informed that the cyber crime helpline number 1930 receives 45,000 to 50,000 calls each day. In 2023, 129 complaints were registered per 100,000 population, with the highest number of complaints registered in Haryana, Gujarat, Telangana, and Goa. Currently, 99.9% of police stations across India are connected through CCTNS, with all stations capable of registering FIRs directly. A total of 263 banks and e-commerce companies are linked to this system. In the month of December alone, over 12 million calls were received on the 1930 helpline number. Since July, 2,95,461 SIM cards have been blocked, along with 2810 websites and 595 mobile apps; furthermore, 46,229 IMEI numbers have been blocked.
