Forced to deceive: Inside the cyber mafia | DW Documentary

More than ever, digital platforms are being used for manipulation and blackmail. This documentary goes behind the scenes of a cruel online world, and shows just how close the danger is. When an opportunity for love or big money beckons online, it can be hard to say no -- or even question what is happening. But in the case of online scams, the dream relationship turns into a nightmare of merciless blackmail and lost savings. This documentary follows both victims and former perpetrators of online scams. A young man from the German city of Hanover thinks he may have found love with a charming Asian woman he chats with online. But behind the seductive profile are scammers who use intimate photos of him to extort money. A well-off retiree from Munich thinks he can grow his fortune with the help of an attractive business partner he met online, but suddenly contact is broken off and he realizes he has lost nearly a quarter of a million euros. When he tries to trace his money with the help of experts, he discovers he has fallen victim to a criminal network worth billions, based in Asia. Two former perpetrators of similar scams reveal how they were held against their will in "scam camps” in Myanmar, forced to defraud victims around the world. Their dramatic escape and the documents they smuggled out now offer incredible insights into the brutal reality of this criminal industry. Investigators say that this new form of modern slavery has now replaced drug trafficking as the most lucrative crime in Southeast Asia. #documentary #dwdocumentary #dwdocs #scam #germany #cybercrime ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ‬ ⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumentary ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumental ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdocarabia ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdochindi ⮞ DW Dokumenter (Indonesian): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDokumenter ⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDoku For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610 Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/ Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G