Online scam centres are upending traditional patterns of trafficking in persons, leading traffickers to operate in new and often unexpected ways. This includes the increased use of cryptocurrencies to move money across borders and launder their profits, a growing emphasis on using technology as a recruitment tool, and the trafficking of victims from farflung geographies and socially diverse backgrounds. As responses continue to be discussed, it’s the victims who are paying the price. Transnational crime will continue to profit by taking advantage of both trafficking victims living within scam compounds, who are being forced to participate in scamming under threat of violence, and victims of scams, who will continue to be cheated out of huge sums of money until strengthened coordinated responses can be put into action.

As a result, a rapidly implementable regional response is needed to effectively combat the transnational crime organisations operating online scam centres. As policymakers, diplomats and government officials, we must acknowledge the urgent need for well-coordinated regional responses to counter the transnational crime groups that operate these centres. This will require enhanced information and intelligence-sharing and engagement through both formal and informal communication channels, alongside connecting policymakers, consular officials, border and immigration officials, judicial authorities, and law enforcement with one another, as well as with their private sector counterparts.

Trafficking is increasingly facilitated online, with the current online scam centre crisis a clear embodiment of this. To enact durable solutions, we need to work with those who understand the online landscape best – social media platforms and the technology industry at large. Engaging with civil society organisations working to prevent and respond to technologyfacilitated trafficking in persons will also be essential. Joint conversations between the technology sector, civil society and law enforcement are too rare, and while all sides are working to respond, siloed approaches are leading to many responses being either inefficient or incomplete.

The RSO is well-positioned to coordinate responses to counter the rising prevalence of online scam centres. With the broad membership of the Bali Process, the RSO has the mandate and capacity to bring together governments, law enforcement, private companies, and civil society organisations to implement solutions together. Further to this, the RSO has the unique capacity to engage at the operational, policy, and capacity-building levels, providing us with the potential to coordinate a truly holistic response. This brief presents a clear set of response activities to move forward at each of these levels, aiming to start discussions about the next steps forward and to advance discussions about innovative potential response strategies. The RSO is committed to continuing to work with our partners to turn these ideas into action and looks forward to seeing trafficking in persons related to these scam centres, as well as the organised crime groups operating them, in decline as soon as possible.

Read full report