TOPIC

Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Southeast Asia forced-labour scams
Overseas job scams are rising sharply with many being lured to Southeast Asia and forced into illegal work. Cases involving Hongkongers were first revealed in 2022.
last updated:
15 January, 2025
Traffic at Myawaddy near the border crossing between Myanmar and Thailand. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong police

Hong Kong sends team to Bangkok to help victim of Southeast Asian scam farm

Man, 29, released from scam compound in Myanmar but could be detained in Thailand for weeks.

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong lawmaker under fire for jabs at ex-politician helping scam victims

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Hong Kong society

Second Hong Kong man rescued from Southeast Asia scam farm: ex-politician

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong security chief defends city’s role in recovery of scam farm captives

Some residents previously held captive in Southeast Asia managed to return to Hong Kong after families paid ransoms.

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A Hongkonger held captive in Southeast Asia earlier returned home after his family paid a ransom. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong to probe role of crime groups in luring victims to scam farms

Secretary for Security Chris Tang also vows authorities will do ‘utmost’ to rescue 11 Hong Kong residents held captive in Southeast Asia.

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Crime

China and Thailand detain 12 gang members suspected of Myanmar trafficking scam

News of the joint crime-fighting effort comes after top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urges Asean countries to crack down on cross-border fraud.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong issues red travel alert for parts of Myanmar amid job scams

Security chief Chris Tang meets Myanmar’s consul general in city to follow up on job scams.

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A recently freed job scam victim is received by members of the Security Bureau, police and the Immigration Department at Hong Kong’s airport. Photo: Security Bureau
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong privacy watchdog records 46% rise in personal data fraud inquiries

Privacy commissioner urges public against giving away personal information, says scammers need private data to lure victims to scam farms.

Malaysia

Malaysian freed from Cambodian scam centre over lack of computer, English skills

The 38-year-old single father, who lost 20kg during his captivity, had been duped into travelling to Cambodia on an offer to work as a driver for US$5,000.

Hong Kong society

Hongkongers in Southeast Asia now have ‘higher chance’ to be saved: Chris Tang

Security chief vows to spare no effort to bring scam victims home, as he urges families to report ransom calls.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong society

Another Hongkonger returns home after release from Southeast Asian ‘scam farm’

Police say man was deceived by an advert seeking agents to bring diamonds from Thailand to Taiwan.

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The victim is received by members of the Security Bureau, police and the Immigration Department at Hong Kong airport. Photo: Security Bureau
Thailand

Thailand seeks to soothe Chinese visitors’ scam centre fears

Thai tour operators say booking cancellations from Chinese visitors surged following news of an actor who was rescued from a scam centre.

Crime in Hong Kong

Woman, 32, arrested after allegedly luring 2 Hongkongers to Southeast Asia

Suspect allegedly met victims at bars and offered them free drinks, entertainment and flights to Thailand.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Thailand set to roll out measures on visitor safety, Hong Kong official says

Security official Michael Cheuk expresses hope 12 Hong Kong residents stuck in Southeast Asia can be brought home before Lunar New Year.

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Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk (centre) and the task force returned to Hong Kong from Bangkok on Tuesday night. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong politics

Explainer | How can Hongkongers protect themselves from Southeast Asian job scams?

Hong Kong authorities have come under renewed pressure to ensure the return of residents believed to be held captive in the region.

Thailand is under an amber outbound travel alert, the lowest level on Hong Kong’s three-tier system. Photo: EPA-EFE
Crime in Hong Kong

‘Please save my son’: Chinese families’ desperate appeals over Thai job scams

Hong Kong advocate also asking families from city if they want to go to Thailand to search for loved ones, following lead of mainlanders.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Can Hong Kong task force in Thailand help prevent more ‘high-paying’ job scams?

Lawmaker says it is the right diplomatic move, while another believes it will remind residents to think twice before agreeing to job offers.

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China-Asean relations

Chinese embassies warn of ‘high-pay’ scams after actor’s kidnapping in Thailand

Alert follows case of Wang Xing, who was rescued from a compound after being lured to a border town by human traffickers.

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Wang Xing said his captors had shaved his head. Photo: AP
Crime

Chinese actor Wang Xing says fraud gang trafficked him to Myanmar scam compound

Actor who went missing near Thailand-Myanmar border confirms he fell victim to human trafficking scheme disguised as film casting call.

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Crime

Chinese actor Wang Xing rescued after going missing in Thailand

Wang Xing, aka Xing Xing, became unreachable after he was taken to the Thai-Myanmar border following his arrival in Bangkok early on Friday.

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Crime

Chinese actor Wang Xing reported missing in Thailand near scam hub

Social media user claiming to be girlfriend of actor known as Xing Xing says his last known location was near Myanmar border city.

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Chinese actor Wang Xing, also known by his stage name Xing Xing, is said to have travelled to Thailand to take part in a film production, according to a social media user claiming to be his girlfriend. Photo: Weibo / 八卦名探
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