Other posts list up to 150 possible calls per day. Another ad reads, “Filters may be used, but make sure the image is realistic. Live-action videos allowed; wigs prohibited.” For the privilege, the individual will reportedly receive one full day and four half-days off per month. Yet another ad listed working hours in Cambodia as 10 pm to 10 am and preferred that the person have a “Western accent”. One model-job ad says: “The company will hold your passport for visa and work permit management.” Taking people’s passports is one of the primary ways scam compound operators hold people hostage.
While some men applied for AI model roles, the majority of applications seen by WIRED were from young women, most in their twenties. Applicants are asked to send a short video introducing themselves, text about their experience and expectations, and photographs of themselves; Some are required to include your marital status and “vaccination” status.
“For more than three years, I have worked with Chinese companies on a variety of projects, including the stock market, cryptocurrency, and love stories,” a man says in a recruitment video. Another says: “Based on my experience, I handle clients well, I convince them to invest using my techniques and discuss how gold trading benefits them.”
The video applications do not contain full names or contact details, so WIRED was unable to contact those who applied for the roles.
According to Humanity Research Consultancy, modeling applicants have requested salaries of up to $7,000 per month. They also make specific requests regarding their working conditions, many of which may not be requests for those who have been trafficked into scam operations. A woman requested her own room and was told she could “go out.” Another requested that they could “go home on holiday” and have a “personal washing machine”.
Although some models are recruited to work in roles and may have more freedom than victims of human trafficking, says Ling Li, co-founder of the nonprofit EOS Collective, which works with victims of the scam industry, they may still face harsh treatment from bosses. “A European victim told us that he saw some Italian models in his premises, but he could not tell [if] they are [there] Likely or not, because they were beaten in front of him,” she says, “and there is also some sexual harassment.”
WIRED sent Telegram a list of two dozen job channels and recruiting channels that have advertised AI models, along with other roles, in recent months. The company did not appear to be removing any channels; However, a spokesperson says its policies do not allow scam-related activity.
A Telegram spokesperson says, “Content that advertises or promotes scams is explicitly prohibited under Telegram’s Terms of Service and is removed whenever it is detected.” “In cases like this, there are legitimate reasons someone might give their likeness, and so such content should be examined on a case-by-case basis.”
The NGO says most model-job advertisements and applications on Telegram do not specifically mention scam work, but they include several red flags indicating a scam. “Why [do you] Need an AI model? This is the first question,” says the NGO. NGOs say other warning signs include location among known scam sites in Cambodia, claims of high salaries for the sector and persistent requirements for Chinese language skills.
<a href