TAK (Thailand): I was electrocuted more than 10 times and tortured almost every week during my captivity in their so-called office, recounted one of the Malaysians rescued from job scam syndicates in Myanmar.
The 45-year-old man from Johor, who only wanted to be known as Teo, said that he was lured in August 2023 by a promising translation job in Thailand with a salary of RM7,000.
A Facebook advertisement had caught his attention, advertising a translator position in Bangkok with a trading company, which required a one-week stay in Thailand.
However, his arrival at Bangkok airport signalled the start of a six-hour journey, during which he was transferred between vehicles three times, before being taken to Mae Sot near a river.
There, he was forced to cross into Myanmar and trained to become a scammer.
Working 14 hours a day, Teo sorted approximately 10,000 phone numbers for the syndicate. His only compensation was a living allowance of 5,000 baht for the first three months, with severe punishments awaiting anyone who attempted to escape or fell behind on their tasks.
Mohd Shahidan (not his real name), 29, from Kuala Lumpur, another Malaysian rescued from the syndicate, had the task of searching for phone numbers listed on social media. Failure to meet the daily target of 70 individual chats led to electrocution and caning punishments.
Another victim, a 19-year-old woman from Penang known as Ong, was deceived into becoming a scammer by a man claiming to be Taiwanese.
He enticed her with the promise of a high-paying job in Thailand. Instead, she was taken to Myanmar without any travel documents.
"We would be punished with caning, forced to do push-ups, or confined in a dark room for failing to meet the targets set by the scam company," Ong said.
Teo, Shahidan, and Ong are among the 15 Malaysians rescued from job scam syndicates in Myawaddy, Myanmar. They were among the 261 foreign victims who were transferred to Thailand for deportation on Wednesday (Feb 12).
The Malaysian Embassy in Thailand is currently working with Thai authorities to facilitate the victims' travel documentation process to ensure their repatriation. – Bernama
