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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:32 AM

    Chinese scam camp operators in Myanmar have tortured and even murdered victims. But Meseret Mulu, a 27 year old Ethiopian woman, told me that at one point, the criminals brought in fighters from the DKBA (Democratic Karen Benevolent Army), a Burmese militia group allied with the junta...to come in and torture her, by stripping her naked and forcing her to spend hours in searing heat.

    Warring factions take a cut to allow Chinese mafia gangs to open camps in their territory.

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Replies

  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:37 AM

    The criminals operate in Myanmar, because it's too dangerous for them to do so in China. Last month, 11 Chinese operators of Burmese scam camps were executed in China.

    Thailand tries to curb activities, including by shutting off internet to border villages where the scam camps are located.

    How have the criminals reconnected to the web in response to this? Via good old Elon Musk. Starlink is among the biggest internet providers to Southeast Asian scamming compounds.

    bbc.com/news/articles/cx2gdrvy

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:43 AM

    India, the Philippines and China are prompt to repatriate their nationals. But African states do not do so. As such, Africans are becoming disproportionately targeted by Chinese criminal orgs knowing that little will be done to rescue them.

    Africans who escape Myanmar can expect to spend lengthy stints in Thai immigration jail until they get the money for airfare/fines.

    The UN itself is low on money, & issued a call last year for some $2.5M to fly home 1,000 survivors.
    roasiapacific.iom.int/news/iom

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:48 AM

    Here are some samples of AI generated ads used by criminals in Myanmar to prey on desperate, unemployed job seekers across Asia and Africa. "Typing speed" is a giveaway, they want people who can learn preprepared scam scripts with ease. The always pretend the job is in Thailand or Cambodia, knowing that nobody would agree to travel to war-torn Myanmar. The ordeal begins when they are picked up at airports in these countries...then driven into Myanmar. Meta and Telegram are part of the problem.

    Scam camp advert used to lure unsuspecting victims to Cambodia before being trafficked into bondage in war-torn Myanmar
    Scam camp advert used to lure unsuspecting victims to Cambodia before being trafficked into bondage in war-torn Myanmar
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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:53 AM

    The UN estimates that over 120,000 people have been trafficked to scam camps in Myanmar since 2021, and endured various forms of exploitation and torture. It has become a billion dollar industry, with the scams targeting vulnerable people in Europe and North America.

    Thai NGOs meanwhile, bravely coordinate rescues, negotiate with border guards to arrange the transfer of victims back to Thailand. But they are swamped and have limited means.

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 7:59 AM

    If you're in the western world, learn more about what's behind the spammy, sometimes flirty, text messages from unknown numbers crowding up your Messages app. In Canada, it is very common and receiving daily scam texts isn't unheard of for many people.

    If you're in Africa, warn friends and family about the dangers of job offers from Southeast Asia that seem too good to be true. Murders have been reported at these camps. Social media companies will not act or remove posts, so spread the word!

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 8:08 AM

    While the degree of suffering differs, this phenomenon causes universal suffering to victims from around the world, from the US to Kenya, from the UK to Uganda.

    Hope to share some more of my findings with you in the coming days. If you went through yet another long thread of mine all the way to thisnpoint, thank you your time is appreciated🙏🏿

    Story dropped on Sunday. If you're in Canada, the story will be available in tomorrow morning's newspaper.

    Yours,
    -ZZ.

    theglobeandmail.com/world/arti

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  • Oblomovoblomov@sociale.network
    Feb 17, 2026, 8:20 AM

    @ZekuZelalem I know it may be a ridiculous detail to focus on among the horror of the whole thing, but what's with the exceptions on the nationality?

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 8:31 AM

    @oblomov I asked. In Cambodia, apparently authorities at the airport are very likely to follow and stop arriving Nigerians, Pakistanis and Ethiopians, because too many people of these nationalities have been trafficking victims. The criminals likely want to avoid certain nationalities to reduce the risk they face of getting followed, spotted and then jailed by Cambodian police on trafficking charges.

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  • Raven667raven667@hachyderm.io
    Feb 17, 2026, 1:04 PM

    @ZekuZelalem @oblomov its good that the Cambodian authorities are putting pressure on them, its too bad they dont have more effextive criteria than nationality to spot potential victims

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 8:32 AM

    @sabrinaweb71 I asked. In Cambodia, apparently authorities at the airport are very likely to follow, stop and question arriving Nigerians, Pakistanis and Ethiopians, because too many people of these nationalities have been trafficking victims. The criminals likely want to avoid certain nationalities to reduce the risk they face of getting followed, spotted and then jailed by Cambodian police on trafficking charges.

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  • Ceceliahelianthropy@tech.lgbt
    Feb 20, 2026, 8:15 PM

    @ZekuZelalem Wow. This reads so discriminatory. Based on your response, I might be wrong in my assumption of wanting to avoid folks with accents that might be too common to get as good results with phone scams.

    But the difference in age ranges for women versus men…

    I’d want to believe these would be red flags, but if it’s common in your life (or you’re desperate), I guess not? ☹️

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 21, 2026, 1:33 AM

    @helianthropy no you are not wrong. Racism and ageism is common at these places. But what standards could we expect with a bunch of murderous bloodthirsty rapists and human traffickers? Sadly, as you point out, desperation for better prospects leads to many ignoring red flags.

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  • LukefromDCLukefromDC@kolektiva.social
    Feb 17, 2026, 9:39 AM

    @ZekuZelalem Very satisfying to see those 11 slavers rotting in their graves, but this is NOT who China (or anyone else) usually executes. My guess is they enslaved too many Chinese citizens, forcing the government to make a token gesture.

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  • Zecharias ZelalemZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
    Feb 18, 2026, 1:30 AM

    @LukefromDC Your assessment is accurate. Chinese victims have been trafficked and even murdered. One particular case in which an actual celebrity, a Chinese actor was trafficked to Myanmar provoked a lot of outrage in China and demands for accountability. As you imply, I also don't believe Chinese justice would be as robust if the victims were solely Africans.

    theguardian.com/world/2025/jan

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