Forced to scam: pitfalls and challenges of survivor engagement in Southeast Asia’s new fraud economy

Author: Ling Li, Regional Researcher for Southeast and East Asia

Project summary

This study provides an important case study of practice and potential for survivor engagement on online scamming, a form of exploitation that is gaining significant interest at the multilateral/international level. The research explored how civil society is engaging with survivors of scamming compounds in Southeast Asia and how this can help address the plight of victims of this new form of modern slavery. The research included interviews with eight professionals from different sectors that focus on addressing online scamming, including three survivor leaders.

The results highlight the considerable challenges civil society organisations (CSOs) face to engage with survivors of human trafficking within the online scam industry. The pressure is mounting because survivors’ stories are gaining visibility, and there are demands on governments to recognise them as victims of modern slavery, requiring effective victim identification systems.

The study found that it is crucial for CSOs to prioritise survivors’ safety, housing, and recovery before involving them in activities addressing human trafficking. This approach acknowledges the importance of supporting survivors in their recovery journey before expecting them to meaningfully participate in antitrafficking initiatives. Efforts to develop survivor leadership could include training programmes to formalise expertise and build confidence. For survivor engagement to be successful, CSOs need frameworks that incentivise participation, and more collaborative relationships between the authorities, CSOs, and survivors. Survivor engagement will be pivotal for developing a comprehensive approach to addressing this new and rapidly expanding phenomenon.