Shanghai Actor Kidnapped and Forced into Cyber Scams in Myanmar After Job Offer Turns to Trap

Xu Bochun, an aspiring actor from Shanghai, found himself in a dire situation after pandemic layoffs left him jobless. Seeking new opportunities, he accepted a seemingly simple role as a movie extra in Xishuangbanna, China. However, this opportunity was a trap. Xu and other hopefuls were kidnapped by armed men, who, after taking their belongings, forced them at knifepoint through dense jungle and across the border into northern Myanmar.

In Myanmar, Xu was sold to a criminal organization engaged in cyber scams. The group, which targeted victims with fake investment schemes and online romance scams, held Xu captive for three months. During this period, he was forced to work under harsh conditions to defraud people. His release was eventually secured in October when his family paid a substantial ransom.

Xu’s ordeal is part of a broader issue affecting tens of thousands of people, with at least 48,000 Chinese nationals reported to have been exploited in the Kokang region of Myanmar before a crackdown by Beijing. His account, supported by screenshots, ransom payment photos, and police documents, highlights the grave conditions faced by victims who fall prey to these criminal networks.

The United Nations and various human rights organizations have reported similar experiences among other victims, who were often misled by fraudulent job postings on social media platforms like WeChat and Facebook.

The scale of this trafficking crisis is significant, with over 200,000 individuals estimated to be forced into scam operations in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. The U.S. State Department has highlighted the growing problem and placed Myanmar and Cambodia on its blacklist due to forced labor practices.

Xu’s personal experience began when he saw a job advertisement offering 10,000 yuan for acting work and decided to apply. Upon arrival, the situation took a dark turn as armed men took control of their group, led them through the jungle, and transported them into Myanmar. The guards at the Myanmar border were indifferent, only concerned with receiving bribes for passage.

In Myanmar, Xu was initially held in a compound where captives were subjected to severe conditions and brutal treatment. The compound was a hub for traffickers who would sell victims to scam operations. Xu was eventually sold to a scam ring run from the Red Lotus Hotel, where he was forced to work long hours targeting victims with fake cryptocurrency schemes.

The release process for Xu was protracted and fraught with difficulties. He managed to alert his family through controlled messages, but the initial response from Chinese authorities was lackluster. After a significant ransom was negotiated and paid, Xu was finally freed and returned to China. His mother had to sell her house to cover the ransom, and Xu’s ordeal underscored the continued existence and expansion of these scam operations despite recent crackdowns.