Teenagers Lured into Sex Scam Syndicate with Promises of Lucrative Jobs

In a shocking exposé, the Johor police chief has revealed that teenage school dropouts were targeted by a sex scam syndicate with promises of high-paying jobs. The recruits were lured in through social media platforms, where they were promised lucrative salaries ranging from RM2,200 to RM4,000 per month, as well as the potential to earn up to US$2,500 (RM10,637) abroad once they had gained more skills.

According to Comm Datuk M. Kumar, the mastermind behind the syndicate created fake social media accounts of attractive women to entice people into making sexually explicit video calls. The recruits were then trained to "hunt" for victims via these fake accounts and persuade them to perform sexual acts on video.

The Horrific Reality Behind the Scam

Once recruited, the victims were confined and forced to work 12 hours a day for the syndicate. Those who refused to cooperate were subjected to physical abuse, including beatings, and were forced to eat chillies as a form of punishment.

Furthermore, the recruits' mobile phones and identification cards were confiscated by the syndicate members, rendering them unable to seek help or escape their situation. In fact, if they wanted to quit their employment with the syndicate, they would have to pay a staggering RM30,000 to be released from their contract.

The Modus Operandi of the Syndicate

The syndicate's modus operandi was to use fake social media accounts to entice people into making sexually explicit video calls. During these calls, the syndicate member would persuade the victim to perform sexual acts, which were all recorded and later used as leverage for extortion.

The syndicates also employed phishing links to hack into their victims' mobile phones, gaining access to their contact lists and photo galleries. Once this information was obtained, the syndicate would threaten to distribute the videos to the victim's entire contact list if they refused to pay up.

The Arrests and Rescues

Based on police intelligence, a series of raids were carried out between June 20 and July 1 in Johor Baru and Kulai. During these operations, seven men and two women aged between 17 and 50 were arrested, including the mastermind behind the syndicate.

Three recruits, who had also been sexually exploited, were rescued during the raids. Their ages ranged from 15 to 26.

A Warning to the Public

Comm Kumar has issued a warning to the public not to be easily taken in by high-paying job offers, especially those circulated on social media. He urges everyone to verify the background of these so-called companies and not to be misled by seemingly attractive women's profiles on social media.

"And do not be misled by the phishing links that steal data from mobile phones before extorting from you," he said. "These syndicates are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but with awareness and vigilance, we can all play a role in preventing human trafficking."