Immigration staff members in protective equipment assist a Hong Kong resident who fell victim to job scams in Southeast Asian countries at the Hong Kong International Airport on Aug 28, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – One more Hong Kong resident who fell victim to job scams in Southeast Asian countries return home safely on Sunday, according to the Security Bureau.

In a statement on Sunday night, a spokesman for the bureau said the victim flew in from Thailand after seeking the help of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department.

Twelve job scam victims have safely returned to Hong Kong since the Security Bureau set up a dedicated task force to help them

He added that 12 victims have returned to Hong Kong since the bureau set up a dedicated task force to help them.

“If anyone knows or has received information that there are victims in need of assistance, they should contact the ImmD as soon as possible to secure the safe return of the Hong Kong resident,” the statement reads.

The spokesman added that the victim was able to come home with the assistance of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, the SB's dedicated task force and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok.

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He appealed to Hong Kong residents to contact the ImmD as soon as possible if they have missing relatives who might have fallen victim to the scams.

Hong Kong police earlier arrested six people over the job scam after 37 residents were reportedly lured into illegal work in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos since January.

Police said the victims were promised high-paying jobs through friends, social media and telemarketing. But upon their arrival in their job sites, the victims' passports were withheld immediately, and they were forced to engage in fraudulent activities online or through phone calls.

Victims who refused to cooperate or tried to escape were even treated inhumanely, police added.

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Immigration staff members assist a Hong Kong resident, who fell victim to job scams in Southeast Asian countries, while going through immigration clearance at a designated counter at the Hong Kong International Airport on Aug 28, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)