Voices Behind the Scam
Over the past four months, Myanmar’s Border Guard Force (BGF) has begun returning nearly 7,000 people from over 40 countries—passing through Thailand (The Guardian). It's a massive effort. Each return must protect the person’s safety.But one vital step cannot be skipped: screening through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). This process helps identify trafficking victims—people lured by fake job offers, then forced into online scams by transnational crime groups. Trapped and threatened, they were forced to trick others into sending money. Some lost everything.
What is NRM?
NRM stands for National Referral Mechanism — a formal process used to screen and identify individuals who are likely victims of human trafficking or forced labor. It is a coordinated system that connects government agencies and service providers to protect victims' rights, offer assistance, and support recovery and reintegration. It also ensures that authorities examine how victims are treated and helps them access initial support, including safety, legal aid, healthcare, and other basic necessities.
(Source: DATIP, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security)
The Hidden Victims Behind the Scam
“Hello, I’m calling from the police station… We’ve found that you are a suspect in a serious crime. You must transfer all the money in your account for verification, and we’ll return it to you shortly…”
This is a familiar dialogue for many who have received calls from strangers in similar situations. The caller may change—local postal services, bank officers, or even well-known online platform representatives—but the scam remains the same. We are all at risk of becoming victims of these deceitful tactics. The safest and simplest way to handle these calls? Hang up immediately. No trusted organization will contact you this way. Yet, the unease often lingers long even after the call ends.
We often call these people “scammers” or “call center gangs.” But behind many of these calls is a darker reality. The voices on the line? Often victims too—lured by fake job offers, trafficked across borders, and forced to scam others under threats and violence.
This story helps uncover that truth. We can help break the cycle—and protect more lives from falling into forced criminality.
A Story from Behind the Scam Call
This is where the victim’s perspective unfolds—tricked, trafficked, and forced to deceive others under threat.
“I felt sad and guilty every time I picked up the phone to call. I prayed they wouldn’t believe me—or that they’d just hang up. I felt like a sinner.”
Grace, a 17-year-old girl, and her close friend were removed from harm in mid-2024 with the help of LIFT and law enforcement partners. Their terrifying journey began during their vocational school break, when they were looking for part-time work to gain experience and support their families. They found what looked like a simple online job—easy work, decent pay, no experience needed. All they had to do was chat with online customers.
Once they applied, the agent responded quickly, hiring them on the spot. But instead of sending them to the country they were promised, the agent rerouted them to Cambodia—claiming that, because they were under 18, they couldn't obtain visas. The next day, a driver took them to the border. There, a Cambodian contact took over and led them—partly on foot, partly by car—to a tall building called the “office.” Armed guards stood watch 24/7.
Their IDs and phones were taken. A Chinese business owner and his interpreter explained the work they were forced to do. Grace refused as soon as she realized it was illegal. But things quickly worsened. She faced the threat of being sold to other criminal networks. Faced with the choice between life and death, she chose to stay alive, hoping for help rather than facing darker consequences, believing it was better than the unknown horrors ahead.
[image credit: irrawaddy news]
The Criminal Network Behind the Scenes
Growing in strength and sophistication, criminal networks have expanded their markets and operations to include the exploitation and trafficking in persons (TIP) of thousands of people for mass scale financial fraud operations —trafficking for forced criminality— a phenomenon that is intertwined with cybercrime, financial fraud, extortion, the laundering of billions of dollars of illicit profits, and corruption embedded in private and public sectors. These illicit activities are taking place in various legal and illegal entertainment establishments, such as casinos, hotels, and registered companies (businesses), which operate from compound-like buildings where victims are harboured and forced to commit, or be complicit in, cyber-enabled crimes. (Source: UNODC)
One day, Grace found a rare opportunity to use a phone and sent a message to her family. Her father reached out through a church network for help, eventually connecting with LIFT International. This marked the beginning of an urgent collaboration with law enforcement and international partners to locate her and coordinate a rescue. With support from the Thai Embassy in Cambodia, Grace and her friend were eventually brought home safely.
However, the legal battle was far from over. LIFT’s legal team continued to support the case, gathering evidence to prove in court that these two girls were victims of human trafficking—not criminals who had crossed the border illegally. They deserved protection, not prosecution.
“I felt like I was re-victimized when the provincial taskforce concluded that my case didn’t meet the criteria for human trafficking—and I was even fined for crossing the border illegally.”
Our social worker continued to support Grace throughout her recovery. A Psychosocial Health Assessment identified that she was suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), with severe anxiety triggered by sights such as tall buildings or vehicles resembling those linked to her past trauma.
This assessment report, along with her testimony and other supporting evidence, was submitted to the court by LIFT’s legal team as part of their pursuit of justice. After nearly a year, that justice finally arrived. The Criminal Court sentenced one of the traffickers to 12 years in prison without parole for human trafficking. In addition, the Provincial Justice Office officially recognized Grace as a victim of human trafficking and awarded her a remedy fund with USD 900.
Grace’s dignity has been restored. The painful memories are slowly fading—replaced by a clearer vision of her future through continued higher education. She is stepping into adulthood with strength, shaped by the hard lessons the world forced upon a teenage girl.
This successful case of helping someone who was coerced into committing crimes must not be kept quiet. It carries valuable lessons for everyone involved in addressing transnational crime, especially in scamming cases. It serves as a warning to jobseekers vulnerable to deception and a call for frontline workers to uphold victim protection standards and ensure justice for those who have been tricked and trapped.
From the support given to just one life, we return to the massive picture of repatriation at the Thai-Myanmar border. Around 1,500 people are still trapped in scam compounds across Myawaddy. Many are citizens of countries without the means to arrange their own return. Without official support, they wait—hoping their families or outside groups can help them find a way home.
LIFT International is honored to be part of this collective effort—led by the Tak Provincial Department of Social Development and Human Security, alongside national and international partners—responding to the urgent needs of thousands being moved out of Myanmar.
“Seeing it with my own eyes and feeling the weight of their oppression—it’s real. I’m honored to be part of tackling this major issue in our region.”
Regardless of the world’s view of the country, this mission reflects Thailand’s humanitarian spirit, showcasing the strength of collaboration between government and civil society. It’s not perfect—but it’s progress, and it proves: our efforts never go backward.
Grace’s trial ended, but the fight for others like her is far from over. Stand with us to pursue justice—until all are free.