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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly

‘I couldn’t escape’: the people trafficked into call centres and forced to scam Australians

Rahim
Rahim, a victim of human trafficking from Indonesia, was lured to Cambodia where his passport was confiscated, he was held captive in a call centre compound and forced to scam Australians out of money. Photograph: International Justice Mission

Before the pandemic hit, Rahim worked as a boat operator transporting essential items between the islands of Indonesia. The casual job was enough to keep his wife and two children financially stable – until the borders closed, the tourists packed up and the work ran dry.

As the months dragged on, Rahim – who is using a pseudonym for privacy reasons – became desperate for a job. So when an acquaintance on his island offered him work in Cambodia, he took it.

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