Two from Karnataka rescued from Chinese-run scam compound in Myanmar

Two youths from Karnataka who were allegedly trapped in a Chinese-operated cyber scam compound in Myanmar have been rescued and safely repatriated to India following a coordinated operation involving the Karnataka Cyber Command, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Embassy of India in Myanmar.

According to a press release issued by the Karnataka Cyber Command, the operation was launched after specific intelligence was shared by a Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate. Working closely with I4C and Indian diplomatic officials in Myanmar, authorities secured the release of the two Indian nationals, who returned to their homes late on Sunday night.

The police said the scam compound, located in Myanmar’s Kayin State near the Thailand border, is allegedly operated by Chinese syndicates involved in large-scale online fraud. Such facilities are known for trafficking people under the guise of lucrative overseas jobs and coercing them into carrying out romance and investment scams targeting victims across the world.

Advisory to Job Seekers

The Karnataka Cyber Command has cautioned young people to carefully verify overseas job offers, particularly those advertising high-paying positions in IT, customer support, data entry, or online marketing that require travel to countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, or Cambodia.

Authorities warned that suspicious signs include unsolicited job offers through social media or messaging apps, recruiters arranging immediate travel, promises of free accommodation with unusually high salaries, and instructions to surrender passports or cross borders irregularly.

The Cyber Command urged citizens to independently verify employers, inform their families and the local police before travelling abroad, register with the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate after arrival, and immediately report suspected trafficking or confinement to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station or through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.