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7 Months Inside an Online Scam Labor Camp - The New York Times

nytimes.com · 5,563 words · saved by 1 readers

Neo Lu had been looking forward to starting his lucrative new job as a translator. But from the moment he arrived, he knew something was off. He hadn’t been hired. He had been kidnapped and forced to work for an abusive online scam operation. Only by understanding how it worked could he hope to escape. A man was abducted by a Chinese gang and forced to work in a scam operation. He gathered financial information, photos and videos and shared the material with The New York Times. By Isabelle Qian and Pablo Robles Dec. 17, 2023 By Isabelle Qian Graphics by Pablo Robles HE HAD BEEN PROMISED a generous salary. A better work-life balance. A chance to live in the vibrant metropolis of Bangkok. His fluency in English would be put to good use as a translator for an e-commerce company, the recruiter had said. More than anything else, Neo Lu, a 28-year-old Chinese office worker, believed the gig would be the new start he needed to save money for his dream of emigrating to the West. So in June of

Images are taken by Neo Lu during his captivity inside an online scam compound in Myanmar. Neo Lu had been looking forward to starting his lucrative new job as a translator. But from the moment he arrived, he knew something was off. He hadn’t been hired. He had been kidnapped and forced to work for an abusive online scam operation. Only by understanding how it worked could he hope to escape. He had been promised a generous salary. A better work-life balance. A chance to live in the vibrant metropolis of Bangkok. His fluency in English would be put to good use as a translator for an e-commerce

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