Indians lured by job scams then forced into slavery

The promise of a lucrative job dangled in front of someone desperate to earn a living wage. That’s the scenario playing out across the world in impoverished communities, and India is no exception. According to The BBC, Indians are becoming targets for unscrupulous employment agencies to lure them into situations that lead to forced labor, abuse, and even death.

Dying to find a job

Thomas Gabriel Perera, was recently shot dead in Jordan while trying to cross into Israel. Prior to being lured to Jordan, Perera had been a rickshaw driver in India. He was killed by Jordanian security forces at the border with Israel this past February. Perera traveled to Jordan legally, lured by the promise of a lucrative job, along with Charlas, his brother-in-law. Charlas was also shot, but he was able to receive treatment returned home empty-handed but alive.

On arrival, Perera and Charlas were both told by the agent there were no jobs. Recruiters instead told the men they could find work in Israel, but they would have to enter illegally. The BBC article reports a letter from the Jordanian government and a statement from Charlas conflict in accounts:

The letter “states that ‘security forces tried to stop them but they did not listen to the warning, the guards opened fire on them, one bullet hit Mr Thomas [Perera] in his head and he passed away on the spot’. Mr Charlas, however, disputed this account and said there was ‘No such warning (from the guards). They just shot.’” 

The government of India says they have issued numerous warnings about the job scams. But for rickshaw drivers like Perera, whose wages sometimes don’t even cover the cost of living, the promise of a blue-collar job that pays many times more than his annual income is worth the risk. As is standard in these job scams, Perera and Charlas each paid around $3,000 USD to get to Jordan. An exorbitant sum and a fee that families often go into debt to pay.

Desperate times force dangerous choices 

Perera’s family says his attempt at an illegal crossing was part of a job scam. Instead, they feel Perera is really a victim. Significantly, reports of people falling for employment scams and taking risky actions have become increasingly common. Indeed, 100 Indians lured by hopes for a better life were recently deported from the US for entering illegally. 

Irudaya Rajan, who chairs the International Institute of Migration and Development in Thiruvananthapuram said: 

“They also paid money to agents and were cheated. It’s the struggle to get better wages [that is driving this],” 

Tellingly, thousands have been rescued from scam centers in Cambodia and other parts of Southeast Asia, including hundreds of Indians. As with so many others, they were also lured overseas by the promise of a good job but instead ended up in modern slavery. Indian nationals have even been tricked into fighting for Russia in the war with Ukraine by fake job offers and opportunities to study abroad.