Myanmar: 4 Indians trapped in Myawaddy scam repatriated, Embassy issues warning

The Indian Embassy in Myanmar on Friday said that four Indian nationals, who were victims of scam operations in Myawaddy, have been repatriated.

The Embassy also issued a fresh advisory, warning against accepting fraudulent job offers and entering or exiting Myanmar and Thailand without proper border immigration procedures. Such actions, it said, could lead to future entry restrictions.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy stated: "We facilitated the exit permit from Myanmar authorities for these four Indian nationals from the Myawaddy compounds and repatriated them via Yangon yesterday. We strongly advise against accepting such job offers and against entry/exit without border immigration in Myanmar/Thailand, as it can restrict future entry."

So far, a total of 36 Indian nationals who were trapped in scam operations in Myawaddy have been repatriated. Of these, 32 were sent back on April 10, and four more were released from the Myawaddy cyber-scam networks on April 12.

In a statement, the Embassy reiterated its warning about fraudulent job offers and emphasised that unauthorised movement across the Myanmar–Thailand border is illegal and could lead to bans on future entry.

In another post on April 10, the Indian Embassy had said: "32 Indian nationals, victims of Myawaddy scam compounds, were repatriated through Mae Sot today. We again urge people to avoid such job offers and remind that entering or leaving Myanmar/Thailand without border immigration clearance is illegal and may result in future entry restrictions."

On April 12, the Embassy added: "Four more Indian nationals, released from Myawaddy cyber-scam networks, were brought from Hpa-An to Yangon by Myanmar authorities and handed over to a Mission representative. They will be repatriated to India once the consular procedures and exit permits are completed."

Earlier in February, Voice of America reported that scam operations in Myanmar were expanding south along the Thailand border. These operations, it said, would likely continue as long as they had access to SIM cards, Starlink satellite internet, electricity, and human resources—i.e., scammers.

Thailand’s opposition People’s Party lawmaker, Rangsiman Rome, had told VOA that the Myawaddy region—across the Thai border from Mae Sot—had become the “global capital” of scams.

The Indian Embassy in Thailand has also been actively warning Indian citizens about the risks of accepting job offers without proper verification, particularly those involving illegal crossings into Myanmar. The Embassy continues to work closely with local authorities to ensure the safety of Indian nationals abroad and to curb such exploitative operations.