Scam Compounds and Forced Cyber Labour

"Scam compounds are one of the fastest emerging forms of modern slavery worldwide. Victims are trafficked, confined and forced under threat to conduct online scams, fraud, and cyber-enabled crime. Our role as expert witnesses is to shed light on these hidden systems of exploitation, ensuring victims are identified, protected and that justice is served." 

– Dr. Grace Robinson

What Are Scam Compounds?

  • Scam compounds - also referred to as forced cyber labour or cyber-scam trafficking - involve the trafficking and coercion of individuals to work in large-scale online fraud operations, often under armed guard and extreme control.
  • Victims are deceived with false job adverts promising legitimate work in technology, marketing or customer service, and are then transported - often across international borders - to compounds where their passports are confiscated.
  • They are forced to carry out scams, such as investment fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, romance scams, or online blackmail, while under surveillance and threat of violence.
  • These compounds are most prevalent in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand), though similar patterns are now emerging in parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Who Is Affected?

  • Victims include men and women of all ages, frequently recruited online through professional networking sites or messaging apps.
  • Many victims come from countries across Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as China and the UK, seeking legitimate overseas employment.
  • They are often educated, tech-literate individuals - a shift from the demographic profile of traditional labour exploitation victims.
  • Once inside compounds, victims face physical abuse, torture, deprivation of food and water, and are threatened with harm if they refuse to comply.

Relationship Between Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking, and Forced Labour

  • Scam compounds combine elements of human trafficking, forced labour and financial exploitation.
  • Victims are recruited, transported and confined for the purpose of exploitation.
  • Their work - though digital - is performed under coercion, with no freedom to leave and minimal or no payment, meeting the legal definition of forced labour.
  • The profits of these operations fund transnational organised crime networks, often linked to cyber-fraud, money laundering and corruption.

Examples of Scam Compounds Around the World

  • Promises of high-paying overseas jobs that do not materialise upon arrival.
  • Confiscation of passports, ID cards or mobile phones.
  • Restricted movement and communication - victims unable to contact family or leave their accommodation.
  • Long working hours under threat of violence or detention.
  • Evidence of torture, beatings or injuries consistent with captivity.
  • Forced involvement in fraud, cybercrime, or scam activity without personal financial gain.
  • Online communications sent under duress - messages from victims appearing scripted, fearful, or inconsistent.

  • False recruitment: victims deceived by online adverts for legitimate overseas work
  • Confinement: controlled compounds surrounded by guards, fences, or barbed wire.
  • Forced online labour: victims compelled to carry out scams and fraud against their will.
  • Physical punishment: violence or torture for failing to meet quotas.
  • Debt and dependency: debts created for travel, “training,” or accommodation to justify ongoing exploitation.
  • Multinational networks: cross-border trafficking and profit chains spanning multiple jurisdictions.
  • Digital coercion: threats, surveillance, and restricted communications via monitored devices.
  • Psychological trauma: long-term fear, guilt, and shame associated with being forced to defraud others.

  • Recognise forced cyber labour as modern slavery - even where victims appear to be working in “tech” or “sales” roles.
  • Be empathetic and trauma-informed; many victims experience shame or fear prosecution for involvement in scams.
  • Gather digital evidence (recruitment adverts, flight bookings online communications) to establish deception and trafficking routes.
  • Collaborate with embassies, international NGOs and law enforcement where cross-border exploitation is suspected.
  • Refer victims to the UK’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) if they are identified within the UK, or liaise with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for victims abroad.

  • Scam compound victims meet the criteria for trafficking and forced labour under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
  • Victims who commit offences as a result of coercion (e.g. online fraud or money laundering) may be entitled to protection under Section 45, which provides a statutory defence for those forced into criminality.
  • Our expert reports assess whether coercion, deception, or abuse of vulnerability led to the alleged offending and whether the criteria for modern slavery have been met.

  • We provide independent, evidence-based assessments of trafficking, coercion and forced labour within scam compounds.
  • Our analysis includes recruitment patterns, country context, control mechanisms and the intersection between digital crime and human exploitation.
  • We help legal teams, judges and juries understand the complex realities of cyber-scam trafficking and its impact on victims’ ability to consent, resist or leave.

  1. Contact us to discuss the specifics of the case.

  1. Agree on the scope of the report and timeline.

  1. Provide relevant case materials, including police evidence, travel documentation, digital communications, and NRM or immigration paperwork.

  1. We conduct a detailed review and, where possible, an assessment with the victim.

  1. We provide a comprehensive expert report and attend court to present findings if required.

  • Provide clear instructions outlining the key issues and questions to be addressed.
  • Supply full disclosure, including travel records, social media evidence, online communications, and recruitment materials.
  • Consider instructing a psychologist or psychiatrist to assess trauma, PTSD, or cognitive impact.
  • Allow sufficient time for a thorough assessment and report preparation.

Founded by Dr Grace Robinson in 2019.

OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO SUPPORT VICTIMS AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF MODERN SLAVERY.

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