ROMANCE scams costs millions of lonely victims their life savings, every year, as heartless criminals prey on the vulnerable and lonely with sophisticated online cons.
But what most don’t realise is that the scammers may well be victims themselves.
Mariana talks to people who made it out alive and to discover who is behind these heart-breaking scamsNational Geographic
Angel, a scam compound model tells Mariana she is forced into sex with bossesNational Geographic
If scammers like Ajay try to escape, they risk being murdered by their captorsNational Geographic
They are human trafficking victims who are brutally tortured and forced to scam in massive factory-like compounds in Myanmar, South East Asia
And if they try to escape they risk being murdered by their captors.
Harrowing videos have emerged on social media of victims of human trafficking being electrocuted or beaten and forced to engage in a scam with a sinister name – pig butchering.
They are made to lure people in on dating apps, and after a period of online flirting introduce an opportunity to get rich quick on what look like serious investment sites.
Investigative journalist Mariana Van Zeller travelled to Myanmar to talk to people who made it out alive and to discover who is behind these heart-breaking scams.
“The scam is called pig butchering because, like a farmer who gradually fattens up the pig, the scammer extracts more and more money from the target until finally the slaughter.”
It is estimated that $75billion has been stolen worldwide and thousands of Brits are among the victims. The practice has also led to numerous suicides across the world, including one former police officer in Wiltshire who took his own life after losing £100,000.
Pig butchering compounds have been cropping up around South East Asia. But the main hub is in Myanmar.
Mariana says: “It is hard to believe how many people fall for pig butchering scams, but there is a proven formula that makes them so effective. After establishing trust, scammers spend weeks or even months love-bombing their victims.”
A whistleblower who worked in a compound with 200 others told Mariana: “There’s a lot of wrongdoing going on. I don’t even know where to begin.
Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller explores the inner workings of the global underworld’s most dangerous black markets in a new seriesNational Geographic
“First I found these pretty girls who were models on social media, TikTok. I downloaded the videos and pictures they posted.
“Then I changed them quite a bit. I made sure there were no copyright issues. And then I reposted them on my fake accounts.
“It is like a romance scam. We target people who are lonely. It’s just about making them wonder. Does she love me?
The scam is called pig butchering because like a farmer who gradually fattens up the pig, the scammer extracts more and more money from the target until finally the slaughter
Investigative journalist Mariana Van Zeller
“If you have a Myanmar ID you can move freely. But if you are a victim of human trafficking you are kept inside.
“In scam factories they beat people. If employees get sleepy or make mistakes, they are punished. If someone escapes, they might slit their throat if caught.”
Myanmar’s history of political instability has made it the perfect place for international organised criminals to set up shop.
Charities working in the area estimate that more than 120,000 people are being held against their will and forced to scam.
‘Tricked, tortured and trapped’
Lin is a Chinese national whose nightmare began when he accepted an offer of what appeared to be legitimate work.
“They would never just let you go,” he explains. “When you first arrive they won’t allow you to have any contact with the outside. They would start threatening you to participate in scams. 95 per cent of the people at the company were tricked into joining.
“It’s like prison-style management. There would be physical punishment. They use a whip and kind of plastic tube wrapped around a steel bar.”
Another victim says he was water-boarded with a pressure washer and then electrocuted.
“They beat my stomach, they put a polythene bag in my mouth, handcuffs,” he says. “I stand up. And they are putting water, you know, like washing car, that pressure. 24 hours I stand like this. I’m wet, they give me electric on stomach. So much punishment.”
It is like a romance scam. We target people who are lonely. It’s just about making them wonder. Does she love me
Conditions are so barbaric within the compounds that some will do anything to escape.
Lin explains: “We planned to tie up and kidnap the supervisor and escape, but somehow they found out. They chased me, so I jumped.”
Lin jumped from a third floor window, breaking both his legs – but managed to get away.
Mariana says: “Despite what Lin went through he is one of the lucky ones. Thousands and thousands of people being held in these compounds, tortured, beaten. The fact that nothing is being done, how is this allowed?”
Who is the puppet master?
National GeographicMariana interviews Mr. Hur, an executive of the shadowy Chinese corporation called Yatai[/caption]
Nicole was scammed to the crewNational Geographic
YouTubeYatai boss She Zhijiang, centre, is currently in jail after being linked to human trafficking[/caption]
Since the military coup in Myanmar, militia groups run the Karen area where most of the compounds are.
The city of Shwe Kokko – like a mini Las Vegas with casinos and scamming compounds – is effectively run by a shadowy Chinese corporation called Yatai.
Mariana says: “In the last few years Yatai has been embroiled in multiple scandals relating to scamming, money laundering, and human trafficking.”
The people behind Yatai gave her a strictly controlled publicity tour of the city in an attempt to clean up their image.
Yatai’s original plan was to turn Shwe Kokko into a gambling hub. They poured billions of dollars into the development but Covid and the civil war put an end to the dream.
Now it is claimed that Yatai is renting many buildings in the city to scamming companies to keep it afloat.
We planned to tie up and kidnap the supervisor and escape, but somehow they found out. They chased me, so I jumped
Lin, a scam factory survivor
Yatai say they are building an ‘emerging smart city’ in Myanmar, focusing on ‘freedom and prosperity’.
But Yatai’s boss, She Zhijiang, is currently languishing in a Thai jail awaiting extradition to China and sanctioned by the British government for links to human trafficking.
And the company denied that the scamming compounds are as big a problem in the city as charities and social media posts claim.
Forced into sex
Angel reveals that sometimes, she is forced to sleep with the Chinese bossesNational Geographic
Phillip opens up to the crew about how he was scammedNational Geographic
AFPBuilding in Shwe Kokko in Myanmar are used as scam factories[/caption]
But another whistleblower, a video call model called Angel, told Mariana: “I arrived in Shwe Kokko one and a half years ago. I’m scamming every day. I have so much pressure. I can’t even sleep.
“I want to go back to my family. I don’t want to come back to that kind of place.
“I have to FaceTime and talk with the target. The chatting team chats with the talker and they transfer to me.”
I have to FaceTime and talk with the target. The chatting team chats with the talker and they transfer to me
Angel is a Myanmar national, not a human trafficking victim. But financial problems left her with no option but to join a scamming company.
It is Angel’s job to flirt with the victims and she works long hours, seven days a week, only being allowed to leave the compound once every six months.
And she says sometimes video call models like her are forced to sleep with the Chinese bosses.
“They told us they will fire us. I just want to refuse but they force me to. ‘Don’t refuse because you will be in danger’. Sometimes with the boss’ friends and relatives also.
“I don’t want to work anymore. I have no choice.”
For many victims like Angel, humanitarian rescue groups are their only way out. Or occasionally, if enough money can be raised to pay a ransom to the compound bosses, some workers will be released.
Mariana says: “The scale of this crisis is staggering. There are estimated to be tens of thousands of people imprisoned in these facilities. I have seen how pig butchering scams have connected and upended lives across the world.
“Whether a victim of circumstance or trafficking, those stuck in Myanmar have little recourse.”
Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller airs Mondays on National Geographic at 10pm. The Scam City episode premieres 28th July.
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