An 18-year-old woman from Mong Hsu Township, southern Shan State, was reportedly lured to Tangyan Township with a fake job offer, abducted by individuals linked to online scam networks, and held for a large ransom, according to local sources.

On December 15, the young woman traveled by bus from Mong La to Tangyan. Upon arrival, she was reportedly kidnapped by six young men who had been waiting for her.

The victim, who had been working in Mong La, posted on TikTok seeking employment. She was subsequently contacted by individuals associated with online fraud operations, who enticed her with a job offer in Tangyan. According to those familiar with the case, the perpetrators used a so-called “sweetheart” tactic, pretending to pursue a romantic relationship to gain her trust.

A local official involved in the rescue told the SHAN that the abductors forced the victim to contact her family, residents of the Mong Aut village tract in Mong Hsu Township, and demand a ransom of 500 million kyats (approximately USD 13,000).

“The girl posted on TikTok that she was unemployed. A Chinese national linked to a scam gang contacted her under the pretense of a relationship,” the official said. “He told her there was work in Tangyan and that she could return home if she were not satisfied. She trusted him and traveled there.”

According to officials, the victim was handcuffed and held for more than three days inside a house in a village in Tangyan Township. During that time, the captors repeatedly called her family to extort money.

“A group of young men was waiting with two vehicles. As soon as she got into the car, they blindfolded and handcuffed her,” said an official from the Mong Aut village tract. “After holding her for several days, they forced her to call her parents to demand money.”

On the night of December 19, at around 11:00 p.m., authorities from the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) raided a house near a Chinese cemetery in Ward 6 of Tangyan Township. The victim was rescued, and six suspects were arrested.

While the suspects remain in custody, the SSPP has not yet issued an official statement. SHAN attempted to contact SSPP spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sai Phone Harn for further details, but was unable to reach him.

Family members say the young woman has since been safely returned home but is suffering from severe psychological trauma.

Audio recordings of the kidnappers negotiating with the victim’s parents have circulated widely on social media. In the recordings, the abductors, speaking in the Shan language, are heard instructing the parents to travel to Mong Hsu and transfer money via a KBZ “special account.”

A Shan youth activist warned that such incidents are becoming increasingly common.

“Young women need to be extremely cautious about online job offers and social media contacts,” he said. “In this collapsed economy, people are desperate, and many are turning to crime. What we used to hear about online is now happening in our own communities.”

The activist stressed that this case is not isolated. In September, a 25-year-old woman in Taunggyi was reportedly drugged and taken to a forest warehouse before managing to escape. In August, the United Wa State Army (UWSA) arrested 17 individuals in Tangyan, accused of impersonating Wa soldiers to carry out robberies and traffic Chinese nationals into scam centers.

Despite international pressure and crackdowns, particularly from China and the United States, analysts say online scam operations continue to adapt by relocating across different territories in Myanmar, including areas controlled by pro-junta militias.

Observers note that economic collapse, prolonged conflict, and widespread unemployment have left many young people vulnerable, either as victims of trafficking or as recruits into lucrative criminal networks.

“Before, human trafficking was something we associated with people going abroad,” the activist said. “Now, because of these scam gangs, internal trafficking is happening inside the country. People are being abducted, enslaved, and exploited within our own borders.”

On December 9, following China’s issuance of arrest warrants for more than 100 individuals linked to scam operations in northern Myanmar, the military junta announced the formation of an “Anti-Scam Central Committee.” Analysts believe the junta and various armed groups are now entangled in a broader geopolitical struggle as China and the United States intensify efforts to dismantle cross-border criminal networks.