Bangladesh embassy in Thailand warns citizens of job scams in five countries

Scam centres use Facebook, WhatsApp, and other online platforms to lure victims, says the embassy

The Bangladesh embassy in Thailand has warned citizens about job scams in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, following reports of people being 'held hostage' under the guise of employment offers.

The warning, issued in a notice on Friday, alerts Bangladeshis about fraudulent schemes offering high-paying jobs in positions such as computer operators, typists, and call centre agents.

According to the embassy, scam centres operating in these countries use online platforms, including fake websites, emails, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram, to lure victims with fake job advertisements.

Once people are deceived into accepting these offers, they are reportedly taken to scam centres, where both Bangladeshis and nationals from other countries are forcibly held at gunpoint and coerced into participating in scam operations.

The embassy highlighted that the scam network closes accounts and embezzles funds when victims invest through cryptocurrency.

It advised Bangladeshis to exercise caution when approached with job offers in these regions and to verify the legitimacy of such opportunities through official channels, such as the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, or by contacting the relevant branches of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training. They can also seek assistance from the Bangladesh embassies in foreign countries to verify the details of the recruiting company.

Several Bangladeshis who managed to escape and were freed from scam centres in Myanmar and Cambodia have already been repatriated to Bangladesh, the embassy said.

"The Bangladesh embassies in Thailand and Myanmar have maintained continuous communication with relevant organisations, including NGOs [non-governmental organisations] working on cyber scams in these countries," the statement read.