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Russia Warns Citizens About Criminal Call Centers in Southeast Asia

Officials say cases involving Russians remain limited, with each under special consular control.

Overview

  • Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova urged heightened vigilance over sprawling cyber‑fraud networks operating in Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand.
  • She described schemes that lure people via social media job ads, move them illegally to Myanmar, seize their documents and force them to run online scams.
  • Russian embassies and consulates report freeing about 20 citizens from forced labor in 2025 and maintain active coordination with local law enforcement.
  • Myanmar authorities conducted large operations in November and December 2025 that led to more than 10,000 illegal migrants being detained in fraud crackdowns.
  • Zakharova noted that some Russians join criminal groups voluntarily for illicit income and advised verifying overseas job offers through diplomatic channels; she also used the briefing to level harsh accusations against Kyiv on a separate topic.