A Growing Global Security Threat
On the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union issued a stark warning regarding the rapid expansion of human trafficking for forced criminality. Authorities highlight that the recruitment of individuals through deceptive job advertisements—only to be forced into labor at “scam centres”—has evolved from a regional issue in Southeast Asia into a global crisis.
By late 2025, victims identified in these operations originated from nearly 80 different nationalities. While Southeast Asia remains the primary epicenter, the model has proliferated into the Middle East, Africa, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, and Latin America. According to UNODC, over 300,000 individuals in Southeast Asia are currently being forced to conduct online scams, often under conditions of extreme abuse and confinement.
The Role of Technology and AI
Criminal networks are leveraging advanced digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) to scale their operations. These technologies allow fraudsters to reach millions of potential victims globally while simultaneously automating the recruitment of laborers and evading law enforcement detection. UNODC estimates that in 2023 alone, these cyber scam operations generated between $18 billion and $37 billion in illicit profits in Southeast Asia.
Ilias Chatzis, Acting Chief of the Organized Crime Branch at UNODC, emphasized that the primary challenge lies in the nature of these networks: “Scam centres are a complex security threat at the intersection of trafficking in human beings, cybercrime, fraud, and financial crime.”
International Response and Policy Shifts
The European Union is preparing a multi-pronged response, including an upcoming EU Action Plan to combat digital fraud and a new EU Strategy on combating Trafficking in Human Beings. Diane Schmitt, the EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator, stressed that the EU is prioritizing a multidisciplinary approach that includes training for prosecutors and investigators to dismantle these networks.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate ratification of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a 2024 agreement designed to strengthen cross-border collaboration. Beyond legislative action, the UN is urging technology companies to take responsibility for the content on their platforms, which is frequently used to facilitate these scams.
A critical component of the international strategy is the shift in how victims are treated. Authorities are increasingly concerned that many victims are being misidentified as criminals due to the forced nature of their work. UNODC and the EU are advocating for policies that prioritize the protection and rehabilitation of survivors, ensuring they are not punished for crimes they were coerced into committing.