WHAT was meant to be a legitimate job opportunity at a casino in Laos became a nightmare for a Malaysian man who found himself forced to work for a cybercrime syndicate running ‘love scams’ targeting victims in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
According to Azirul Syafiq Sazali of the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO), the man was deceived by a former colleague from his days as a security guard in Johor, and later sold to the scam syndicate just two weeks after arriving in Laos.
“The scam operation focused on ‘love scams’ aimed at people aged 45 to 65, especially retired civil servants,” Azirul said at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) late last night.
He added that the criminal network employs artificial intelligence (AI) technology to profile and manipulate victims and gains access to their financial data via unscrupulous insiders within government agencies and banks.
“They know exactly who has large savings. The AI systems are used to build trust, then lure victims into investing in fake apps. Eventually, the app and the money disappear,” he said.
The victim was rescued in mid-June but only returned home after 45 days due to delays caused by a visa agent who held his passport.
The man, known only as J, revealed that he had arrived in Laos in April after being offered what he thought was a legitimate position by someone posing as a casino recruitment officer.
“They didn’t beat me, but if I failed to meet their scam targets, they would fine me or force me to do squats and push-ups,” he said.
He urged fellow Malaysians to exercise extreme caution when considering overseas job offers.
“If someone offers you a job abroad, just don’t go,” he warned. - August 5, 2025
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