Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) released an urgent consular bulletin on 25 February 2026 warning citizens against fraudulent job offers in Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. The advisory follows a spike in reports of Brazilians being lured to “call-centre” roles that turn out to be forced-labour operations running online gambling, romance and crypto scams. According to the bulletin, victims are often stripped of their passports and confined to compounds where they must defraud foreign targets under threat of violence. Even when rescued, many overstay their visas and face fines or exit-permits, delaying repatriation. Brazilian consulates in Bangkok and Phnom Penh have documented 47 such cases since December, a ten-fold increase year-on-year. The government’s guidance is explicit: “Do not accept offers promising high earnings, quick hiring or informal intermediation.” It urges travellers already in Southeast Asia to keep digital copies of passports, maintain contact with relatives and register in the “Brasileiros no Mundo” online system so consular staff can trace them. For global-mobility and talent-acquisition teams, the alert has immediate implications. Tech outsourcers and gaming companies recruiting Brazilian Portuguese speakers need to perform enhanced due-diligence on third-party vendors operating in the region. Corporations sending staff to ASEAN markets should build in security briefings, ensure redundancy of travel documents and pre-clear emergency visa-extension options. Experts note that Thai and Cambodian immigration authorities can impose fines of US$500-1,000 for each month of overstay. Employers may find themselves footing the bill if stranded contractors seek assistance. Affected travellers must obtain a special exit permit, which can take up to two weeks—delays that ripple into project timelines. The warning echoes similar advisories from the US and UK and may accelerate regional cooperation on anti-trafficking enforcement. Until credible safeguards emerge, Brazilian risk-managers are treating unsolicited “tech-support” offers routed through social media as red-flags to be escalated immediately.
Source: iGaming Expert
