A malicious scam campaign that uses several baits on social media platforms is the source of a Chinese cybercriminal group gathering workers for its Cambodian cybercrime mills. According to an investigation, the target of the threat actors is the vulnerable people that seek employment.
The attackers post high-paying job lures on Facebook, attracting potential targets. However, the actors will send these baited individuals to Cambodia to operate in a cybercriminal scam group.
Reports revealed that there are approximately 100,000 individuals across Asia who the actors have sent to Cambodia to work for a Chinese crime syndicate. When the victims arrive in Cambodia, the cartel will confiscate their passports, and they will be forced to work in modern-day sweatshops.
The pandemic played a massive role in the Chinese syndicate setting up their Cambodian cybercrime mills.
A report from a California-based news publisher said that the Chinese mobsters exploited the economic struggle of the targeted country to put up their Cambodian cybercrime mills. The syndicate used human trafficking to gather labourers and forced them to work within Cambodia.
They have not faced any consequences as the revenue of the cybercriminal campaigns aids the country.
Experts claimed that these campaigns range from fake sports betting to romance scams. The Cambodian government admitted that about 100,000 workers are involved in cybercriminal activities. However, they also denied that there are workers who are forced to do the jobs.
On the other hand, some of the rescued victims from the cybercrime mills stated that they were tortured and beaten if they did not reach the quotas for their operation. Additionally, some slave workers were traded and sold by different mobsters.
Unfortunately, the rescued victims also revealed that the syndicate would reward the workers if they consistently met or surpassed their monthly goals. According to the victim, food, money, and slight freedom are given to those who have outstanding performance.
Experts suggest that job seekers, mainly from regions near Cambodia, double-check the legitimacy of an offered job online to avoid being victims of these human trafficking campaigns.
