Hong Kong man ‘kidnapped’ by South-East Asia scam ring pleads for help

Traffic police in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's government says so far 39 residents have asked for help since January after falling victim to boiler room scams. Law enforcement officials have established a task force and called on victims to use a government-run mobile app to submit details and send photos of their surroundings. — AFP

HONG KONG: Anti-trafficking campaigners in Hong Kong played a harrowing recording on Aug 24 of a resident testifying that he has been kidnapped and forced to work for online scam syndicates in Myanmar.

Online “boiler room” scams have long had a presence across South-East Asia but in recent months more details have emerged of people being trafficked and forced to work for them.