Scam Factories Ep 1: No skills required

"Scam Factories" is a podcast series investigating the brutal scamming compounds in Southeast Asia. The first episode, "No Skills Required," explores how individuals are lured into these compounds with promises of high-paying jobs, often ending up trapped and forced to participate in online scams. Researchers Ivan Franceschini, Ling Li, and Mark Bo guide listeners through the landscape of these compounds, highlighting the various methods of recruitment, from fake job ads to kidnapping. The episode also features the story of George, a Ugandan man tricked into working in a scam operation in Laos, and Li, a Malaysian woman lured into Myanmar under the guise of an event planning job, illustrating the diverse nationalities and deceptive tactics involved in this widespread criminal industry. The podcast sheds light on the different types of scams employed, including romance scams, pig butchering, and law enforcement impersonation, emphasizing the devastating impact on victims worldwide.