The past year has seen a stream of news reports detailing slave labor conditions, threats of rape, and extreme violence perpetrated against victims inside scam compounds in Cambodia. “We just want to see them go back home alive.” “If we don’t save them, they will die,” he said. When contacted, he collects their personal information, where they are being held and why they want to be rescued, before reporting their cases to authorities.

Lu estimates that he and other volunteers have helped rescue at least 50 people-many from mainland China, but also Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia-from scam compounds since November.

“If they can’t scam anyone, they are beaten.” “I don’t have a choice, these people tell me every day that they don’t want to be a scammer anymore,” Lu said. She had invested huge sums by the time the crypto investment platform alerted her to an unending labyrinth of audits, fees, and taxes she’d have to navigate in order to cash out. Their daily conversations spanned life, sports, economics, literature-and, eventually, cryptocurrency.Īfter a tentative start buying and selling Ethereum through a website Jimmy recommended, initial profits prompted Tsai to take the plunge, buying vast quantities of the cryptocurrency. What unfolded was an online quasi-romantic relationship with an intelligent, handsome younger man named Jimmy, whom she believed lived in Los Angeles. “All said and done, I lost about $2.5 million.” “I met my scammer on October 15, 2021,” she said of that Friday exchange.

Within two months, she would lose more money than the average American earns in a lifetime. That three-word message, delivered as a courtesy to the individual on the other end, would prove the most costly she’s ever sent. I came back and said, ‘Sorry, wrong number.’” WhatsApp,” she told VICE World News from her Boston home. “I have never gotten a wrong message on my U.S. Three hours later, another message: “Are you Linda from the pet store?” She felt she should respond.

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