The ongoing trauma of trafficking victims in scam networksHundreds of thousands of people worldwide have been trafficked by criminal networks and forced to participate in online scams in a multibillion-dollar criminal industry, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) warns as we mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons today (30 July), under the theme “Trapped Behind the Scam”. “People trapped in scam compounds are victims of trafficking, forced to commit crimes through violence, threats and coercion. “We must work together to support survivors, stop traffickers and close the gaps these criminal networks exploit. The strategy outlines IOM’s vision for addressing one of the fastest-growing forms of human trafficking, with a strong focus on victim protection, prevention, cross-border cooperation and stronger partnerships to disrupt trafficking networks. The message at the heart of this year’s campaign is clear: people forced to commit crimes inside scam centres are victims of trafficking, not criminals, and should be protected, not punished.