Ethics
From Hope to Exploitation: India's Trapped Citizens in Cambodia
- 01 May 2024
- 2 min read
The exploitation of Indian citizens in Cambodia through fake job scams, wherein individuals are lured with promises of legitimate employment only to be coerced into engaging in cybercrime, highlights a grave ethical dilemma. Victims find themselves ensnared in unlawful activities, such as fraudulent schemes on social media platforms, under the threat of exploitation and deprivation if they fail to comply with the demands of the perpetrators. This exploitation not only violates the rights and dignity of the individuals involved but also underscores systemic failures in oversight and protection.
Instances of exploitation through fake job scams are not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern affecting vulnerable populations worldwide. The scale of the issue is alarming, with reports indicating that thousands of Indian citizens may be trapped in Cambodia alone, with similar scams emerging in other regions as well. Moreover, the financial toll of these scams, amounting to hundreds of crores, underscores the urgency of addressing this issue comprehensively.
In confronting this ethical challenge, it becomes imperative to examine the responsibilities of various stakeholders, including governments, law enforcement agencies, recruitment agencies, and international bodies, in preventing and combating such exploitation. Furthermore, there is a pressing need to enhance awareness and resilience within communities to prevent individuals from falling victim to these scams in the first place.
How can we ensure the protection of vulnerable individuals from falling prey to such fraudulent schemes, and what measures can be implemented to hold perpetrators and enablers of exploitation accountable?
