Two teenage girls packed their bags, eager to support their families and build a brighter future. A job listing on a trusted online platform promised legal customer service roles with a well-known shopping company. Everything seemed safe – the perfect opportunity.
But safety was an illusion.
When the girls arrived at the agency, they were told they were too young to obtain passports. Instead, they were sent to another company “branch” in Poipet, a Cambodian border town with Thailand. There, no passports were required.
That’s when the girls realized they had been scammed.
A Trap Disguised as Opportunity
The girls were escorted to a compound surrounded by high fences and armed guards. Instead of a legitimate job awaiting them, their IDs and phones were confiscated. Then, they were ordered to scam people online. When the girls refused, they were threatened with abuse.
Then the nightmare grew worse. They were sold to a different scam centre and threatened with forced prostitution. Long hours, relentless abuse, and stolen wages became their daily reality.
A Desperate Plea for Help
After a month, the girls were given brief phone access.
Desperately, they reached out to their families, who quickly mobilized a church network in Thailand.
That was when their case reached Hagar. Through daily monitoring, intelligence work, and coordination with national and international partners, the girls were rescued and safely brought home.
Fighting for Justice
The battle wasn’t over. In Thailand, the girls faced wrongful accusations under immigration law. But our frontline team continued to gather critical evidence. Psychological assessments revealed severe PTSD, including nightmares and paralyzing fear. This evidence helped overturn unjust rulings.
After months of dedicated intervention and relentless advocacy, our legal team helped sentence the girls’ trafficker to 12 years in prison. They also won compensation for the girls for the crimes committed against them.
More Than Rescue
Not only were two girls lives saved, but this case also reinforced justice, strengthened protections against trafficking, and struck a blow against the expanding scamming networks in Southeast Asia.
