Online scammers prey on vulnerable individuals using insidious psychological tactics, often forcing them to work under deplorable conditions in gated compounds. In this episode of the Hidden Traffic Podcast, Gwen Lee Hassan sits down with Valentina Casulli and MD Abdus Salam from Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC) to expose the sinister world of human trafficking. Together, they and Gwen highlight the urgency of exposing and addressing this hidden aspect of human trafficking and explore how HRC is creating a comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking in all its forms.
Salam shares a chilling personal experience of being trapped in a scam compound, detailing the manipulative tactics used by scammers. Scam mills often create fake personas to deceive individuals into thinking they can make money through trading or other activities. These fake characters are designed to appear trustworthy, exploiting the victim’s trust and leading them into the scam. Additionally, the scammers also use sophisticated psychological tactics to exploit vulnerable individuals. This manipulation can take various forms, such as emotional manipulation in romance scams or creating a false sense of urgency in cryptocurrency scams.
Valentina describes scam compounds as having a physical appearance that resembles apartment blocks. These structures often house rows of computers where individuals work on various online scams. Scam workers endure extraordinarily long working hours, confined in a small space with little freedom of movement.
Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC) adopts a comprehensive and localized approach to tackle the issue of human trafficking within online scams and scam compounds. HRC focuses on using local consultants and talent to gain insight into the root causes of human trafficking, Valentina explains. By leveraging local expertise, HRC ensures a nuanced understanding of the cultural and social dynamics contributing to trafficking. Survivor voices play a central role in HRC’s work. They collaborate closely with survivor organizations to provide support and empowerment. Salam, as a survivor empowerment officer, is actively involved in counseling, advocacy, and consultancy to empower other survivors.
Resources
Valentina Casulli on LinkedIn
Abdus Salam on LinkedIn
