Malaysian father freed from Cambodian scam syndicate 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

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A Malaysian father, lacking computer and English skills, was freed from a Cambodian scam syndicate after being lured by a fake job offer. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:07pm, 16 Jan 2025

A Malaysian single father was freed from a Cambodian scam syndicate last week, with reports suggesting that his lack of computer skills may have contributed to his release.

The 38-year-old man, identified by reports as Xiao Fei, also mentioned that his limited English proficiency could have played a role, according to Singapore’s 8days news portal.

He and two fellow Malaysian captives were later rescued and returned home last Thursday, Malaysia’s The Sun newspaper reported.

Xiao Fei said he had been duped by a “friend” into travelling to Cambodia in November, lured by a job as a private driver with a promised salary of up to US$5,000. However, upon arrival, he was taken into a scam compound and was later deemed unfit to work.

During his time in captivity, which lasted for an undisclosed period, the syndicate provided him with food and accommodation and allowed him to roam the scam centre. He lost 20kg while being held, according to 8days.

He managed to reach out to another friend in Johor Bahru, although it was unclear how he did it. The friend in turn contacted Xiao Fei’s mother, and the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation and Cambodian authorities were then informed of his situation.