Manado, Indonesia – A growing number of Indonesian citizens recruited for overseas jobs are ending up as operators in international online scam centers, highlighting a new form of human trafficking that combines labor exploitation, cybercrime, and transnational organized crime. A recent study conducted by Youla Lariwa, Merry E. Kalalo, Dani R. Pinasang, and Jemmy Sondakh from Sam Ratulangi University reveals significant weaknesses in current prevention and supervision mechanisms.
Published in 2026 in the International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), the study argues that existing legal and institutional frameworks have not kept pace with the rapid evolution of digital crime networks operating across Southeast Asia.
According to the researchers, victims are typically recruited through social media advertisements, messaging applications, and illegal recruitment agencies promising lucrative employment opportunities abroad. However, after arriving in destination countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and the Philippines, many are forced to work in scam compounds operated by transnational criminal syndicates.
Victims often face passport confiscation, threats, physical abuse, restricted movement, and coercion to participate in cyber fraud schemes. These activities include cryptocurrency scams, investment fraud, romance scams, phishing attacks, and other online deception operations targeting victims worldwide.
The study found that most victims are between 18 and 35 years old. Many travel using tourist visas, allowing trafficking indicators to go undetected during departure procedures. Researchers argue that current supervision systems remain heavily focused on administrative checks rather than substantive risk assessments.
Using a normative legal research approach, the study analyzed Indonesian legislation, international treaties, and regional legal frameworks related to human trafficking, cybercrime, and state authority. These included Indonesia’s Anti-Trafficking Law, Electronic Information and Transactions Law, the Palermo Protocol, and ASEAN anti-trafficking agreements.
The findings show that Indonesia already possesses a substantial legal foundation to address trafficking crimes. However, implementation remains fragmented, with multiple institutions operating separately rather than through an integrated system.
Police authorities, immigration agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Manpower, and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency all hold relevant responsibilities. Yet limited coordination and weak data-sharing mechanisms continue to hinder effective prevention and early detection.
Researchers also found that online scam syndicates increasingly rely on encrypted communication platforms, fake digital identities, and cryptocurrency transactions, making investigations more difficult for law enforcement agencies.
Another major concern involves victim treatment. Many trafficked individuals are initially viewed as cybercrime offenders because they are forced to participate in online fraud activities. The researchers argue that these individuals should be legally recognized as trafficking victims and provided with protection, rehabilitation, and psychological recovery services.
The study emphasizes that state sovereignty in the digital age extends beyond territorial borders. Governments must develop the capacity to protect citizens from cyber-enabled threats operating across multiple jurisdictions.
To address these challenges, the researchers recommend establishing an integrated digital supervision system connecting immigration authorities, law enforcement agencies, labor institutions, cybercrime units, and diplomatic representatives. They also call for stronger cyber diplomacy, expanded international cooperation, enhanced digital forensic capabilities, and legal reforms specifically addressing online scam-related trafficking.
The findings suggest that online scam trafficking has become a multidimensional threat affecting national security, cybersecurity, human rights protection, and international law enforcement cooperation throughout Southeast Asia.
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