The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has issued an urgent warning over the escalating global crisis of human trafficking linked to forced labor in online fraud centers, calling for coordinated international action.
In a statement released Monday, the France-based agency revealed that victims have been identified from 66 countries across all continents, underlining the expanding reach of transnational criminal networks operating under the guise of digital employment.
Describing the situation as a “global emergency,” INTERPOL said hundreds of thousands of individuals have been affected, many of whom are being forcibly detained and coerced into conducting cyber scams targeting individuals and businesses worldwide.
While most of the scam centers were initially concentrated in Southeast Asia, recent investigations show that similar operations are now being uncovered in West Africa, Central America, and parts of the Middle East — suggesting that the criminal model is rapidly spreading.
According to INTERPOL’s analysis, three out of every four victims trafficked over the past five years were exploited within Southeast Asia. Victims are often lured with false job offers, only to find themselves confined in camps where they are subjected to debt extortion, physical abuse, sexual exploitation, and in some cases torture or rape.
Once trapped, victims are forced to carry out large-scale online fraud, including phishing schemes and cryptocurrency scams, with proceeds funneled to organized crime syndicates.
INTERPOL stressed the urgent need for a coordinated global response, urging national authorities to strengthen cross-border intelligence sharing and intensify cooperation with organizations providing support to survivors.
“This form of organized crime is evolving fast, and no region is immune,” the agency warned.
INTERPOL, which comprises 196 member countries, is the world’s largest police organization and plays a key role in facilitating international law enforcement collaboration.
