Arindam Bagchi said IT companies are engaged in digital scamming and forged crypto activities. (File)
India today asked Indian nationals to exercise extreme caution before taking up jobs in Thailand after dozens of Indians were illegally brought into Myanmar as part of the employment racket.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said IT companies are engaged in digital scamming and forged crypto activities. He said that these scammers are recruiting Indian workers on the pretext of employment opportunities in Thailand.
"We are aware of fraudulent IT companies that appear to be engaged in digital scamming and forged crypto activities. They seem to be operating with agents from Dubai, Bangkok and India. They are recruiting Indian workers on the pretext of employment opportunities in Thailand," the MEA spokesperson said.
He explained that Indian workers are lured by social media advertisements of highly lucrative jobs and then taken across the border in Myawaddy.
"And that area you know is difficult to access due to the local security situation. Nevertheless, thanks to our mission in the country, we have been able to facilitate the rescue of some of these victims from captivity or forced labour and we are trying to help others," he said.
Mr Bagchi urged Indian nationals to exercise extreme caution before accepting such job offers. "It may also be mentioned here that the visa-on-arrival scheme in Thailand does not permit employment. Our embassies in Thailand and Myanmar have issued advisories in this regard. We have also taken up the matter both with Thailand and Myanmar," he said.
On a question about the specific number of Indian caught in Myanmar, the MEA spokesperson said, "This is difficult to say. 32 people have certainly been rescued and helped out of the place. I don't have an exact number. Maybe 80 to 90 people are there."
Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Myanmar's Yangon released an advisory. It had cautioned about the companies engaged in digital scamming activities located in remote eastern border areas of Myanmar.
"The Mission has observed in the recent past that some lT companies engaged in digital scamming/forge crypto activities located in remote eastern border areas of Myanmar are recruiting Indian workers from different places through their recruiting agents on the pretext of potential employment opportunities in IT sector," the advisory said.
The advisory said the Indian workers were being facilitated to enter Myanmar illegally without proper documentation leading to the entrapment of Indian workers.
"In view of the above, Indian nationals are hereby requested to exercise due caution and verify the antecedents of the recruiting agents. It is advisable to have all requisite information (job description, company details, location, employment contract etc.) before accepting any employment that has been offered," it added.
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