A Sky News investigation has provided shocking insight into the scam factories where thousands of workers are trained to steal money from victims online.
Secretive and heavily guarded, the compounds contain workers who are caught in its lucrative criminal web with no escape.
Sky News went undercover in a Cambodian scam centre, interviewing 17-year-old Poom-Jai from Thailand, who has been forced to work there while being imprisoned.
He is made to carry out “pig-butchering” scams, where victims are tricked into investing into fraudulent schemes until they’ve given almost all their life savings away.
“They fall in love with me,” a detached looking Poom-Jai tells Sky News.
Fake profiles are used to gain the victim’s trust, and they are encouraged and tricked into developing a deep relationship with the fake person they are messaging.
Earlier this month, National Fraud Helpline reported on an 82-year-old American man who took his own life after falling in love with someone he believed he had developed a relationship with.
The scammer convinced him to invest all his life-savings into a fraudulent crypto scheme run from one of the compounds in South East Asia.
However, those luring people to make investments under false pretenses are also victims – many are tricked by “recruiters” who promise well-paid administrative jobs in remote areas and small towns in countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
Poom-Jai travelled to Cambodia, leaving behind family and friends searching for better wages, but when he arrived he was intimidated with violent threats and forced to start scamming.
He was made to work, eat and sleep there and was also unable to leave without permission.
After being moved against his will between several different compounds, the 17-year-old almost died while trying to escape.
He was accused of stealing by his bosses in the compound in Bavet, Cambodia, and then was savagely beaten.
“They kicked and punched me, I told them I didn’t do it.
“Then, they brought in an electric baton,” recounted Poom-Jai.
Judah runs a charity called Global Advance Projects which has helped facilitate the escape of around 700 workers.
According to Judah, video and testimony from Taichang proves torture is common. He describes workers being hung with their arms above their heads for days at a time in so-called “dark rooms”, tasered and denied food.
Some well-known scam farms, such as KK Park in eastern Myanmar, have reportedly made attempts to show improvement after facing international pressure.
However, workers are still forced to pay to escape the prison-like compounds and attempts to reduce the level of scamming have failed.
Have you lost money to a scam? Contact National Fraud Helpline. Call 0333 0033218 or fill out our Claim Form.