Thai police have rescued two Japanese men, aged 20 and 21, who were trafficked into a scam operation on the Thai-Myanmar border. Police announced the rescue on October 2.

The men were lured through Telegram job adverts promising high pay. When they tried to cancel the trip, they were threatened with death. They were then smuggled across the border into Myanmar.

Inside the compound, the men said they were forced to make hundreds of scam calls each day to elderly people in Japan while posing as government officials and police officers. They worked about 20 days with no salary and had their phones taken away.

They managed to contact their families and the Japanese embassy during a brief moment with a phone. Japan then requested help through the SHIELD system, and Thai police coordinated the rescue.

Both men are now classified as human-trafficking victims and are under protection. The compound may hold 2,000 to 3,000 workers, police said. Thai police warned people to be cautious of high-paying job offers online.