Tortured, forced into scams: 25 Maharashtra men trapped in Myanmar cyber fraud den

Lured by fake overseas job offers, dozens of Maharashtra men allegedly remain trapped in cyber scam compounds near the Thailand-Myanmar border, where families claim they face torture and forced labour.

In Short

• Indians lured with fake job offers, forced to work 18 hours in harsh conditions
• Captives reportedly tortured, women subjected to abuse in cyber fraud camps
• Families urge government for urgent rescue, officials claim efforts underway

At least 25 men from Maharashtra, including eight from Nashik, have allegedly been trapped by an international cyber fraud network operating along the Thailand-Myanmar border after being lured abroad with fake job offers. Families of those trapped have appealed to the government for urgent intervention to secure their release.

One of the trapped men recently contacted his family and described the alleged torture and inhuman conditions inside the camp. The 30-year-old resident of Nashik, whose identity has been withheld, has reportedly been held captive since April 25.

His family told India Today TV that he had left India after a friend promised him a call centre job in Bangkok with a monthly salary of Rs 70,000. A Class 12 pass and a former merchant navy worker, he travelled to Thailand hoping for better employment opportunities.

Instead, he was allegedly taken by unidentified individuals to a remote location along the Thailand-Myanmar border and confined there. His captors have reportedly demanded Rs 8 lakh for his release.

During a WhatsApp call with his family, the man alleged that those held in the camp are forced to work for up to 18 hours a day.

"We are made to work for 18 hours every day. We are served food that even rats and cockroaches would not eat," he reportedly told his family. He further claimed that the recruits were given a month of training with only minimal payment.

He also alleged that anyone refusing to work is tied up in a room and subjected to electric shocks. Women trapped in the camp are also allegedly being tortured, he told his family.

According to him, around 25 people from Maharashtra, including eight from Nashik, are being held at the facility. Some of them are also from Beed and Dharashiv districts.

Another man's family told India Today TV that they remain deeply worried about his safety and have urged the government to take immediate steps to rescue not only their son but all Indians believed to be trapped in such camps.

With the help of BJP corporator Prashant Dive, some of the affected families have approached Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan.

According to the families, Mahajan has informed the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the matter and assured them that efforts are underway to ensure the safe return of those trapped. He has also reportedly spoken to some of the trapped men and offered them reassurance.

Dive said he had spoken to some of the men, including three youths from his ward. According to him, those held in the camps are allegedly forced to create fake Facebook profiles, build online relationships to deceive people, and lure people into cryptocurrency investment scams.

Those who fail to meet targets are allegedly assaulted, while nearly 20 people are confined to a single room.

Based on accounts shared by the Nashik man and another youth from Beed, the families claim that more than 25 Maharashtra residents and over 400 people from across India are currently trapped in similar cyber scam compounds.

In recent months, organised criminal networks operating from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and neighbouring countries have increasingly targeted young Indians through fake overseas job advertisements on social media.

Indians are promised high-paying jobs in sectors such as IT, data entry, digital marketing and customer support. After reaching the destination country, they are allegedly taken to cyber fraud hubs where they are forced to participate in online investment scams, cryptocurrency fraud and other financial crimes. Their passports are reportedly confiscated, and those who fail to meet fraud targets are subjected to physical abuse and other forms of punishment.

In January 2026, more than 120 people from Andhra Pradesh were rescued from cyber crime compounds in Myanmar in a similar operation.

- Ends
(With inputs from Pravin B Thakare.)