India: MEA issues warning about fake job rackets in Thailand targeting IT-skilled youth

On Saturday, India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) issued a warning which was brought to the ministry’s notice by the country’s missions in Bangkok and Myanmar. In the statement, they warned Indian youths against “lucrative job offers” based in Thailand through social media advertisements and agents.

“Instances of fake job rackets offering lucrative jobs to entice Indian youths for the posts of 'Digital Sales and Marketing Executives' in Thailand by dubious IT firms involved in call-centre scam and crypto-currency fraud have been brought to our notice recently by our Missions in Bangkok and Myanmar,” said the MEA statement.

The ministry said target groups are IT-skilled youth who are enticed by “lucrative job offers” like data entry in Thailand by social media ads and also by Dubai and India-based agents.

These victims are reportedly taken to Myanmar, illegally across the border and held captive to work in harsh conditions. “Therefore, Indian nationals are advised not to get entrapped in such fake job offers being floated through social media platforms or other sources,”the MEA said.

Subsequently, the statement read, “Before travelling on tourist/visit visa for employment purposes, Indian nationals are advised to check/verify credentials of foreign employers through concerned Missions abroad, and antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer.”

This advisory comes following Thursday’s MEA weekly press briefing which warned Indian nations to exercise extreme caution while accepting job offers in Thailand as dozens of Indian citizens were illegally trafficked to Myanmar as part of an employment scam.

“We are aware that fraudulent IT companies that appear to engage in digital scamming and forged crypto activitiesseem to be operating with agents from Dubai, Bangkok, and India,” said the MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. He added, they are recruiting Indians under the pretext of job offers and employment opportunities in Thailand.

The victims are then taken across the border in Myawaddy, a town in Myanmar, which is an area “difficult to access” given the local security situation, said Bagchi. He went on to thank the Missions in the country which have been able to rescue some of the victims from “captivity or forced labour”. Bagchi also indicated that rescue is underway for others and asked everyone to exercise extreme caution.

“It may also be mentioned here that the visa-on-arrival scheme in Thailand does not permit employment. Our embassies in Thailand and Myanmar have issued advisories in this regard. We have also taken up the matter in both countries,”said the MEA spokesperson.

(With inputs from agencies)