'Scam employees' in Myanmar choose a $1,400 salary over running away.

(CLO) After the KK Park "scam den" in Myanmar was raided, many people did not flee but instead sought work in other scam dens with salaries of up to $1,400 per month.

Such scam centers are springing up across Southeast Asia, each year swindling billions of dollars from victims lured through romantic schemes or cryptocurrency investments. Although many are coerced, a significant number still participate because of the exorbitant salaries promised.

The raid in late October rocked KK Park – a notorious “scam den” – causing more than 1,500 people to flee to Thailand, while many others stayed behind to seek new opportunities.

A Chinese scammer recounted that on October 23 alone, several hundred people leaving KK Park flocked to his property 3 km away, lured by salaries of up to $1,400 per month. “Some will encounter inhumane employers, others will find a good company, it’s a matter of luck,” he said.

KK Park as seen from across the Moei River, overlooking the cornfields on the Thai side. Photo: CC/Wiki

Jason Tower, an expert at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said that most of the scammers in KK Park are simply "recruited by other gangs." "For them, it's a job," he stated.

According to a United Nations report, East Asia and Southeast Asia alone recorded losses of $37 billion in 2023 due to scam centers, and the global figure “could be much higher.”

Myanmar's turbulent border regions have become fertile ground for these activities. Last month, the Myanmar military announced it had seized around 200 buildings in KK Park and uncovered more than 2,000 suspected fraudsters.

The operation still resulted in the escape of 1,500 people from 28 nationalities to Thailand, including about 500 Indians and 200 Filipinos. Thai authorities said they are having difficulty identifying who are victims of human trafficking and who are perpetrators.

Experts estimate that around 20,000 people work at KK Park, the majority of whom are Chinese citizens. Those who flee to Thailand account for less than 10%. Meanwhile, some of the scammers who remain are "bought and sold" between gangs, with prices reaching up to $70,000 per person.

Source: https://congluan.vn/nhan-vien-lua-dao-o-myanmar-chon-luong-1-400-usd-thay-vi-bo-tron-10316588.html