30 July 2026 · World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

Trapped Behind the Scam

A message that looks like fraud can hide a person who was deceived by a false job offer, trafficked, and forced to carry out online scams under threats, coercion and fear.

See how it happens Help survivors rebuild
Prevention Protection Justice Long-term recovery
9:41● ● ●
?
Unknown accountOnline
Hello, I have a simple online job for you.
You can earn quickly and work from anywhere.
Who is this?
I only need a few minutes of your time.
Behind some messages is another victim.
People can be trafficked into scam compounds, stripped of their documents, watched and threatened, then forced to deceive others.
Understand the chain

How forced scamming works

Forced scamming often begins with something ordinary: a job advertisement, a direct message, or a promise of better work. The exploitation becomes visible only after control has already been taken.

False opportunity

Traffickers use job offers that appear legitimate, often online or through informal networks.

Movement and control

Victims may be transported across borders, isolated, and have passports or phones taken from them.

Forced criminality

Under surveillance, threats and abuse, victims are compelled to run online fraud operations.

Misidentified

Because they were forced to commit offences, victims can be treated as criminals rather than recognised as trafficked people.

Officials gathered beside a vehicle during an investigation Victim identification
Students taking part in a classroom awareness activity Prevention
A smiling student holds a Hagar workbook Practical learning
A student in a classroom Confidence and learning
A student completing schoolwork Education
A smiling student holding a Hagar workbook Practical awareness
Law enforcement officers working beside a vehicle Protection and justice
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Freedom did not immediately mean justice.
The Innocence Defenders · LIFT by Hagar
A real story

The Innocence Defenders

A story that directly reveals the human reality behind forced scamming and why identifying victims correctly is essential to justice.

Justice and law enforcement

They left for a safe job.

Instead, they were trafficked.

Two teenage girls left home chasing a simple promise: a safe job and a chance to support their families. Instead, they were trafficked across borders and forced into a scamming operation guarded by armed men.

After they were rescued, they were initially treated as offenders under immigration law.

LIFT by Hagar gathered psychological evidence and advocated for the girls to be recognised as trafficking survivors. The court later reversed its position.

One offender was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and the girls received compensation. For them, the biggest victory was reclaiming their innocence.

Read the full story
Hagar's response

The whole journey

Reaching safety is the beginning, not the end. Hagar’s trauma-informed approach supports survivors across immediate protection, healing, justice, education and long-term independence.

Explore Hagar’s work
1
Immediate safetyProtection, urgent care and safe accommodation
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2
Trauma-informed healingCounselling that prioritises dignity and autonomy
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3
Legal supportRights protection, evidence and justice processes
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4
Education and livelihoodsSkills, learning and pathways to independence
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5
Long-term reintegrationFamily support, community connection and ongoing care
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An officer searches the interior of a vehicle Evidence and justice
Staff visit a family while household supplies are arranged outdoors Community support
Staff meet with a woman at a table beside household supplies Long-term care
Practical awareness tool

Would this job offer concern you?

Select the warning signs you notice. This is an awareness exercise, not a trafficking assessment.

A single warning sign does not prove trafficking. When something feels unsafe, pause, verify independently and seek responsible advice.

Choose your next step

Turn awareness into action

01

Learn

Understand forced scamming, how scam compounds operate and how Hagar supports survivors.

Explore the issue → 03

Give

Support survivor care, prevention and the long journey from exploitation towards safety, justice and independence.

Give now →
Frequently asked

Know the issue

Forced scamming is a form of human trafficking in which people are deceived by false job offers, transported or confined, and coerced into carrying out online fraud.

People trapped in scam operations may be forced to commit crimes under threats, surveillance, abuse or debt. Without careful victim identification, they can be treated as criminals rather than people who were trafficked.

Survivors may need medical care, safe accommodation, trauma-informed counselling, legal assistance, family support, education, vocational pathways and long-term case management.

Learn how forced scamming works, share reliable information, verify suspicious job offers, use Hagar’s awareness guides and support organisations providing prevention and survivor care.

See the person behind the screen.

On 30 July, help Hagar New Zealand bring attention to forced scamming and support the whole journey of recovery for survivors of trafficking, slavery and abuse.

Help survivors rebuild