KUALA LUMPUR (May 24): The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned US citizens and individuals who travel or live abroad of the risk of false job advertisements linked to labour trafficking at Southeast Asia-based scam compounds where victims are held against their will, intimidated, and forced to commit international cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes.

In a public service announcement on Monday (May 22), the agency said criminal actors target victims, primarily in Asia, in employment fraud schemes by posting false job advertisements on social media and online employment sites.

It said the schemes cover a wide range of opportunities, to include tech support, call centre customer service, and beauty salon technicians.

The FBI said job seekers are offered competitive salaries, lucrative benefits, paid travel expenses as well as room and board.

Often throughout the process, the location for the position is shifted from the advertised location.

Upon job seekers’ arrival in the foreign country, criminal actors use multiple means to coerce them to commit cryptocurrency investment schemes, such as confiscation of passports and travel documents, threat of violence, and use of violence.

“Criminal actors assign debts to victims under the guise of travel fees and room and board, and use victims’ mounting debt and fear of local law enforcement as additional means to control victims.

“Trafficked victims are sometimes sold and transferred between compounds, further adding to their debt,” said the Federal agency.