The Embassy of Japan in Thailand has issued a warning, stating that numerous cases have occurred in which people who applied for part-time jobs promising high pay overseas were made to participate in special fraud schemes and other crimes abroad.
In particular, there have recently been multiple cases in which people traveled to Thailand in pursuit of high remuneration after being recruited through social media and were then taken to areas around Karen State in Myanmar, which borders Thailand, where they were pressured to engage in illegal activities such as fraud. Specifically, some people traveled to Thailand believing they had taken part-time jobs purchasing gold, luxury-brand goods, or similar items after being invited through social media or by acquaintances, only to be deceived and taken—or nearly taken—to scam compounds on the Myanmar side of the border.
These cases share common characteristics, including being asked to send a photograph of their passport via highly private messaging apps such as Telegram, having the other party arrange airline tickets and procedures required for entry, and being placed in a vehicle arranged by the other party. Once in the vehicle, victims are unable to communicate due to the language barrier and are taken to the border without being able to ask for help.
Those who travel abroad with the casual expectation that they can travel overseas and earn a high income may have their passports confiscated and be placed under virtual confinement. They may be threatened using personal information about themselves and their families, making escape impossible, and may even face assault within criminal organizations. Such cases have in fact occurred.
Areas near the border on the Myanmar side are effectively controlled by ethnic armed organizations and contain numerous scam compounds. As a result, rescue operations by Myanmar security authorities are not easy, and the Japanese Embassy may be unable to provide prompt and sufficient assistance. The embassy also urges people never to enter or leave Thailand illegally via neighboring countries, as such acts are subject to strict criminal penalties in Thailand as well.
The Embassy of Japan in Thailand calls on people to recognize that jobs offering high remuneration in a short period are not normally available, even overseas, and not to casually apply for such positions. Anyone who believes they may have applied for such a job is urged not to struggle alone, but to consult family members or the police before traveling. If, after traveling, the work differs from what was explained in advance or they appear to be taken toward the border, they are urged to seek help without hesitation from the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate and the local police.
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This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
