The Philippine National Police rescued over 1,000 individuals forced to work up to 18 hours a day for cryptocurrency scams. The authorities arrested 12 suspects, including 7 Chinese, 4 Indonesians, and a Malaysian, who will be charged with human trafficking.
Local media reported that the victims were promised free flights and accommodation but had their passports confiscated upon arrival. They were then forced to work up to 18 hours a day, and their salaries were deducted for interacting with colleagues or taking extended breaks.
An official has disclosed that 1,090 individuals were rescued from various countries and forcibly made to operate online scams. The majority of the workers were from Asia, including 389 from Vietnam, 307 from China, 171 from the Philippines, 143 from Indonesia, 40 from Nepal, 25 from Malaysia, 7 from Myanmar, 5 from Thailand, 2 from Taiwan, and 1 from Hong Kong.
According to Michelle Sabino, the spokesperson for the PNP’s anti-cybercrime group (ACG), at least 12 suspected ringleaders were arrested, believed to be the operators of the fraudulent company called Colorful and Leap Group Co. All of them underwent an inquest proceeding for human trafficking before the Department of Justice in Manila.
They will build up a promise of a good future together. Let’s buy a house, buy a car, let’s invest money, or let’s do business together.
Michelle Sabino, ACG Spokesperson
As per Sabino’s statement to the media, the operators trained the workers to establish fake romantic relationships with strangers and then lure them into purchasing cryptocurrency or depositing funds into fake bank accounts. The scams were particularly targeted towards unsuspecting individuals in the United States, Europe, and Canada.
