Four months after returning home, the nightmare has not ended for Chiedza, a 33-year-old Zimbabwean mother of two who was trafficked to Myanmar and forced into online fraud. What she believed was a job opportunity in Southeast Asia turned into captivity, coercion and exploitation inside one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal industries. Her story reflects a wider crisis, as more than 300,000 people globally have been trafficked into cyber scam operations, according to United Nations estimates.
Chiedza left Zimbabwe in November 2024, driven by economic hardship and the hope of building a better future for her children. Like many others, she responded to what appeared to be a legitimate job offer in Thailand. A friend encouraged her to apply for a retail position at an electronics shop. Within a day, she received an acceptance letter and a contract via WhatsApp, written in English and Chinese. She was told she would sign the final documents upon arrival.
Instead, her journey took a sudden and alarming turn. Her route was diverted to Myanmar, where she quickly realized she had been deceived. Upon arrival, she was handed a contract written only in Chinese and stripped of her passport and phone. She was taken to Shwe Kokko, a city widely associated with cybercrime compounds, and forced to participate in elaborate online scams targeting wealthy individuals.
Her role was to lure victims through fake social media profiles and dating platforms, gather personal information and persuade them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Refusal was not an option. Chiedza recalls being locked in a dark room for days and threatened with violence. At one point, her captor presented her with three choices: work for the operation, be sold into prostitution or be handed over to a group involved in organ trafficking. Faced with these threats, she chose to comply in order to survive.
Her experience mirrors that of tens of thousands trapped in similar conditions across Southeast Asia. In Myanmar alone, an estimated 120,000 people have been forced into scam operations, according to credible sources cited by the United Nations human rights office. These networks generate staggering profits, with annual revenues believed to reach tens of billions of dollars. Victims are often recruited from economically vulnerable regions in Africa and Asia, lured by promises of legitimate employment abroad.
Zimbabwe, where economic pressures remain severe, has become a source country for trafficking victims. According to World Bank data, a significant portion of the population lives in extreme poverty, unable to afford basic necessities. Migration is often seen as a pathway to survival. National census figures show that hundreds of thousands of women have left the country in search of work, making them prime targets for recruitment scams.
Initially, Chiedza resisted her captors’ demands. However, they imposed a so-called recruitment debt of $210,000, an amount she had never agreed to pay and could not possibly afford. Her family back home scrambled to raise funds, taking out loans in a desperate attempt to secure her release. The payment was rejected, and the pressure intensified.
For nearly a year, she worked without pay under constant surveillance. Alongside approximately 150 other African victims held in the same compound, she endured long hours of manipulation and fear. Despite the circumstances, she clung to the hope that compliance might eventually lead to freedom or at least allow her to send money home.
Her ordeal ended only when Myanmar’s military intervened in late 2025, investigating trafficking operations in the area. When officials asked if anyone had been forced to work, she spoke up. She was then transferred to a detention facility with other survivors awaiting repatriation.
But returning home proved to be another struggle. Chiedza contacted Zimbabwean authorities, who provided travel documents but were unable to fund her return. For months, she remained stranded, watching as other governments arranged flights for their citizens while Zimbabwean victims waited. Food was scarce, and access to medical care was limited. She recalls moments of extreme hunger, describing how some survivors resorted to eating whatever they could find.
Experts say such delays are not uncommon. Zimbabwe faces significant financial and structural constraints that limit its ability to assist trafficking victims abroad. Repatriation requires funding for flights, documentation, accommodation and reintegration support, resources that are often in short supply. Analysts note that emergency rescue funds are either minimal or nonexistent, leaving survivors dependent on external assistance.
In the end, Chiedza turned to the internet, seeking help from strangers. A sponsor based in the United States paid for her ticket home. Since her return, she has been trying to rebuild her life while also helping others still trapped in similar situations. She has already secured support for several survivors, enabling them to return home.
Advocates warn that delayed repatriation increases the risk of re-trafficking, particularly for women who may face stigma upon returning to their communities. Survivors are sometimes labeled or ostracized, making reintegration difficult and pushing them back into vulnerable conditions.
International organizations have emphasized the need for stronger protections, including stricter regulation of recruitment agencies, better enforcement of anti-trafficking laws and expanded support services for victims. Current gaps in legislation, funding and data collection continue to hinder effective responses in countries like Zimbabwe.
Calls for reform have grown louder, with experts urging governments to prioritize victim-centered approaches. These include access to psychological support, compensation mechanisms and stronger legal action against traffickers. There is also a push for improved coordination among service providers and increased investment in shelters and specialized care.
Chiedza’s story is one of survival, but it also reveals the scale and complexity of a global system that preys on vulnerability. As digital fraud networks expand and adapt, so too must the efforts to combat them. For those who escape, the journey does not end with rescue. The path to recovery is long, uncertain and often shaped by the same inequalities that led them into danger in the first place.
