The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union
have warned that human trafficking for forced criminal activity is becoming an
increasingly urgent global threat, driven by the rapid expansion of cyber-enabled
fraud and online scam centres.
Marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the two organizations called
for stronger international cooperation to dismantle the transnational criminal
networks operating these centres and to ensure that trafficked individuals are
recognized as victims rather than prosecuted for crimes they were coerced into
committing. According to UNODC, criminal groups lure victims with fraudulent job
advertisements and promises of legitimate employment before forcing them to
participate in online scams under abusive conditions. The networks increasingly rely
on digital technologies and artificial intelligence to scale their operations, conceal
their activities, and evade law enforcement.
Authorities say the problem has expanded well beyond its traditional base in
Southeast Asia. By the end of 2025, identified victims represented nearly 80
nationalities, while similar operations had spread to the Middle East, Africa, Eastern
and Southeastern Europe, South Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
UN estimates indicate that more than 300,000 people in Southeast Asia alone are
currently being forced to carry out cyber-enabled fraud. The illicit industry generated
an estimated $18 billion to $37 billion in criminal proceeds across the region in 2023,
underscoring the scale and profitability of the enterprise. UNODC Acting Chief of
the Organized Crime Branch Ilias Chatzis urged governments and law enforcement
agencies to intensify efforts against the criminal organizations behind the schemes
while strengthening victim identification and protection. EU Anti-Trafficking
Coordinator Diane Schmitt described scam centres as a complex security challenge
that intersects with human trafficking, cybercrime, financial crime, fraud, and
organized crime.
The European Commission is expected to introduce an EU Action Plan on
combating digital fraud alongside a new EU Strategy on Trafficking in Human
Beings in the coming months. Meanwhile, the EU and UNODC continue supporting
partner countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America by
training investigators, prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals to
identify victims, dismantle trafficking networks, and improve access to justice and
rehabilitation services.
