<p>Philippine authorities have rescued over a thousand people from several Asian nations who were trafficked into the country, held captive and forced to run online scams, an official said Saturday.</p>.<p>International alarm has grown in recent months over internet scams in the region often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.</p>.<p>Michelle Sabino, a spokeswoman for the Philippine national police force's anti-cybercrime group, said officers raided a cluster of buildings Thursday in Mabalacat city about 90 kilometres north of Manila.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/un-refugee-agency-calls-on-governments-not-to-return-people-to-sudan-1215839.html" target="_blank">UN refugee agency calls on governments not to return people to Sudan</a></strong></p>.<p>A total of 1,090 people were rescued who had been recruited to run online scams.</p>.<p>Sabino said the victims were forced to target unsuspecting people in the United States, Europe and Canada.</p>.<p>Their passports were confiscated and they were made to work up to 18 hours a day, with salary deductions for interacting with colleagues or taking extended breaks.</p>.<p>"You're like a prisoner without a cell. You're not even allowed to talk to your roommates," Sabino told AFP.</p>.<p>"They're not allowed to leave outside the bounds of the gate. After 18 hours of work, they're brought to their dormitory."</p>.<p>The victims were mostly Chinese nationals, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Indonesians, police said in a separate statement.</p>.<p>Authorities also rescued people from Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Nepal.</p>.<p>Sabino said the workers were trained to entice strangers into buying cryptocurrency or depositing money into bogus bank accounts after establishing fake romantic relationships.</p>.<p>"They will build up a promise of a good future together. Let's buy a house, buy a car, let's invest money or let's do business together," she said.</p>.<p>At least 12 suspected ringleaders of the scheme have been arrested and are set to be charged with human trafficking. They include seven Chinese nationals, four Indonesians and a Malaysian, Sabino said.</p>.<p>Sabino also said the police operation was the result of a plea by the Indonesian ambassador in Manila for help locating distressed nationals.</p>.<p>Last month, Philippine senator Risa Hontiveros warned that "scam call centres" were operating in the Philippines and employing foreigners trafficked into the country.</p>
<p>Philippine authorities have rescued over a thousand people from several Asian nations who were trafficked into the country, held captive and forced to run online scams, an official said Saturday.</p>.<p>International alarm has grown in recent months over internet scams in the region often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.</p>.<p>Michelle Sabino, a spokeswoman for the Philippine national police force's anti-cybercrime group, said officers raided a cluster of buildings Thursday in Mabalacat city about 90 kilometres north of Manila.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/un-refugee-agency-calls-on-governments-not-to-return-people-to-sudan-1215839.html" target="_blank">UN refugee agency calls on governments not to return people to Sudan</a></strong></p>.<p>A total of 1,090 people were rescued who had been recruited to run online scams.</p>.<p>Sabino said the victims were forced to target unsuspecting people in the United States, Europe and Canada.</p>.<p>Their passports were confiscated and they were made to work up to 18 hours a day, with salary deductions for interacting with colleagues or taking extended breaks.</p>.<p>"You're like a prisoner without a cell. You're not even allowed to talk to your roommates," Sabino told AFP.</p>.<p>"They're not allowed to leave outside the bounds of the gate. After 18 hours of work, they're brought to their dormitory."</p>.<p>The victims were mostly Chinese nationals, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Indonesians, police said in a separate statement.</p>.<p>Authorities also rescued people from Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Nepal.</p>.<p>Sabino said the workers were trained to entice strangers into buying cryptocurrency or depositing money into bogus bank accounts after establishing fake romantic relationships.</p>.<p>"They will build up a promise of a good future together. Let's buy a house, buy a car, let's invest money or let's do business together," she said.</p>.<p>At least 12 suspected ringleaders of the scheme have been arrested and are set to be charged with human trafficking. They include seven Chinese nationals, four Indonesians and a Malaysian, Sabino said.</p>.<p>Sabino also said the police operation was the result of a plea by the Indonesian ambassador in Manila for help locating distressed nationals.</p>.<p>Last month, Philippine senator Risa Hontiveros warned that "scam call centres" were operating in the Philippines and employing foreigners trafficked into the country.</p>