Malaysians Stranded in India After Falling Victim to Job Scam, Forced into Online Fraud

More than 100 Malaysians are reportedly stranded in India, ensnared by a fraudulent job scheme. The victims, ranging from their late teens to their 30s, were lured by promises of lucrative positions in multimedia and marketing. However, upon arrival in India, they claim to have been forced into operating as online scammers, targeting their own countrymen.

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When we were working, there was a power outage. So, we were told to go out, and that's when I decided to escape by taking a Grab.

Compounding their distress, the victims allege that their passports have been confiscated by the syndicate. They are reportedly being demanded to pay up to RM20,000 for the return of their travel documents, effectively trapping them in the country. This harrowing situation was brought to light by Muhammad Shafiq Bahri Mohd. Saifol Bahri, 31, who managed to escape the syndicate's clutches.

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Before reaching the embassy, we stayed at a local resident's house for a few days before reporting to the police station, and then they referred us to the embassy.

Shafiq Bahri recounted his escape, which occurred during a power outage at their workplace. He seized the opportunity to flee, seeking refuge with local residents before reporting to the police and subsequently contacting the Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi. He and two other Malaysians successfully returned home on August 9, with assistance from the High Commission.

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The living conditions there were very poor. The food provided daily was the same, just white rice and a little vegetable without gravy, and sometimes the food served was stale.

He described the living conditions as "miserable," with monotonous and sometimes spoiled food. The work was relentless, with no days off, even when ill. The job offer had appealed to him because it required no specific qualifications, only a passport and clothing. All arrangements, including travel and accommodation, were handled by the job offer's facilitators.

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We were forced to work without rest. Even when sick, we still had to work.