Deceptive online advertisements promising high-paying overseas jobs are continuing to proliferate across South Korean social media platforms, luring young job seekers into forced labor in Southeast Asian call center scams despite announced police crackdowns.
These pervasive scams often promise monthly salaries as high as USD $8,900, alongside luxurious accommodation and free flights, primarily targeting individuals seeking employment opportunities abroad. Victims are then trafficked to countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, or Thailand, where they are coerced into working for illegal “voice phishing” operations.
A reporter posing as a job applicant received a response from an alleged manager within five minutes, according to a Korea Times report. The recruiter openly admitted the work was illegal but insisted the overseas locations were safe and offered earnings of up to USD $7,300 per week.
South Korean authorities have acknowledged the problem, with police planning an increased scrutiny of online platforms and the suspension of suspicious accounts, effective October 15, 2025. However, these advertisements persist, exploiting loopholes in verification systems.
Scammers use specific phrases in their ads to allay fears, such as “no Chinese involvement,” “safe,” “no detention,” or “can use phone and go out after work.”
Professor Lee Byung-hoon, a sociologist at Chung-Ang University, warned that pursuing unrealistically high incomes can lead individuals to become victims or unknowingly complicit in criminal activities. He urged the government to establish robust systems to prevent criminal groups from easily reaching online job seekers.
Similarly, Professor Lee Ung-hyuk, a police studies expert at Konkuk University, emphasized the need for authorities to broaden investigations into these illegal overseas job postings. He called for the dismantling of the networks behind these scams to cut off pathways leading individuals into organized crime.