M’sian man falls victim to job scam in Cambodia, gets released due to lack of computer skills

Man abandoned by scam syndicate over lack of computer skills

A man from Johor, Malaysia fell for a job scam in Cambodia but was later abandoned by the syndicate due to his lack of computer skills.

The victim, 38-year-old Xiao Fei (name transliterated from Chinese), had been trapped in Cambodia for two months before receiving help from the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO).

The single father returned to Malaysia on Thursday (Jan 9).

Deemed ‘useless’ due to lack of computer & English language skills

Xiao Fei had initially flown to Cambodia to apply for a job as a private driver on 4 Nov 2024.

After arriving in the country, he was taken to the scam park, where he realised he had been deceived.

However, his lack of knowledge about computer equipment, inability to speak English, and refusal to participate in the scam operation led the group to deem him “useless”.

While they continued to provide him with basic accomodation and food, the syndicate held on to his passport to stop him from leaving.

Xiao Fei was not physically assaulted, but the constant fear he endured caused his weight to plummet from 90kg to 70kg.

Rescued by MHO after seeking help from friend

He finally sought help from a friend, who contacted his mother. The turning point came when his mother reported the case and approached MHO for help.

When the group realised that his family had reported the case, they returned his passport and released him to prevent the situation from escalating.

“With MHO’s assistance, I was able to return to Malaysia safely. I am deeply grateful for their help,” Xiao Fei said.

Besides Xiao Fei, two other victims, who had also been lured by the same job advertisement, were rescued and returned to Malaysia.

On Thursday (9 Jan), the MHO confirmed rescuing the three Malaysian victims including Xiao Fei on its Facebook page.

Addressing the press, an MHO spokesperson urges the Cambodian government to take action against the scam syndicates in the country.

Additionally, the organisation asked Malaysian citizens to be vigilant about potential online job scams.

Also read: 43 M’sians Fall For Job Scams & Forced To Commit Online Fraud, Rescued By Peru Police

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Featured image adapted from Cedar Falls Utilities for illustration purposes only.