Context

Cyber slavery is emerging as a form of organized crime of unprecedented severity and scale. Over 5,000 Indian nationals are reported to be held captive in Cambodia, coerced into committing cyber frauds targeting individuals in India.

1: Dimension-Factors responsible for growth of cybercrime

• Internet: The internet allows criminals to operate seamlessly across borders, accessing a marketplace of victims anywhere, anytime and at scale. The internet also helps criminals to conceal their own identity, location and size.
• Cybercrime-as-a-service: Criminals have their own ‘cybercrime-as-a-service’where experienced cybercriminals sell accessible tools and knowledge to help others carry out cybercrimes.
• Difficult to catch: The difficulty in countering cybercrime is also a major factor.
• Battlefield advantage: Cross-border attacks make cybercrime difficult for law enforcement to deal with, constrained as they are by national boundaries. 

2: Dimension-A global challenge

• The operation’s international dimension was underscored by the diversity of its workforce.
• Operatives from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Cambodia were drawn into the scheme, often under the guise of legitimate employment opportunities.
• Once in Cambodia, these individuals found themselves stripped of their passports and coerced into participating in the scam. Reports of physical assault, electric shock, and solitary confinement emerged for those who resisted, highlighting the dark underbelly of cyber slavery.
• As the scamming activities operate virtually, those running the rackets can easily shift their operations from one country to another. This makes it extremely hard to combat the crime by physically arresting the criminals.
• This challenge needs a systemic and coordinated approach from governments and NGOs.