Mumbai Man Tricked into Cyber Scam Job in Myanmar, Rescued After Harrowing Ordeal

Mumbai Police have booked three members of an international cybercrime gang for luring a 24-year-old youth to Thailand with a fake job offer and then illegally taking him to Myanmar, where he was forced to work in an illegal call centre run by Chinese nationals.

The victim, Mohammed Asif Ali Shaikh, a resident of Malwani in Malad (West), filed a complaint with the Malwani police against one Mark Melvin and two others. The accused allegedly forced him to work at a scam call centre that targeted people on social media through fake online relationships and cryptocurrency fraud.

Trapped by a Fake Job Offer

According to the FIR, Shaikh came in contact with Melvin through a friend. In July 2024, Melvin told him about a job opportunity in Thailand. Shaikh attended a video interview with a Chinese-looking man and was told he was selected. He was promised a monthly salary of around ₹75,000, and flight tickets were arranged.

On July 25, Shaikh flew to Thailand’s Swarnabhoomi International Airport, but without a visa. From there, gang members took him by road and sea to Myawaddy Township in Myanmar. At KK Park in Myanmar, he met Melvin, who introduced him to a company named “X Max.”

Forced to Run Romance Scams

Shaikh said he was told to work as a “chat executive,” sending friend requests on Facebook to wealthy people, pretending to be in love, and then tricking them into investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes. These scams were run by Chinese gangsters.

“If we refused to work, we were beaten, starved, and locked in rooms. I saw some workers, even from the Philippines, being tortured with electric shocks,” Shaikh told The Indian Express.

When he refused to sign a one-year work agreement, saying he was getting married in six months, he was dumped. The gang then demanded $3,000 to release him and his friend Mehraj. After Mehraj paid $1,000, they were released.

Escaping from “Hell”

Shaikh said the gang threw him, Mehraj, and a Pakistani national on a roadside near the Myanmar-Thailand border. They walked for five kilometres to the border and paid bribes to cross into Thailand. Thai immigration detained them for 15 days before deporting them back to India in November 2024.

“My family was in shock. My father’s health worsened. I only went because I was desperate for a job,” Shaikh said. He is now employed with a private company and is set to marry in December 2025.

Following police instructions, he collected evidence of his travel and transactions. The Malwani police then registered an FIR and launched an investigation.

Police Action Underway

A senior police officer confirmed the case and said one of the accused, Mark Melvin, is also from Malvani. The delay in filing the complaint was due to the victim’s family, but the case is now being actively investigated.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including wrongful confinement, trafficking, extortion, cheating, and common intention.

This incident comes after the Maharashtra State Cyber Police rescued over 60 Indians last month who were similarly trapped in Myanmar. They were lured through social media with fake job offers in Thailand and East Asian countries. Police have registered three FIRs and arrested five people, including a foreign national, in connection with the wider scam.