RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Fake job offers and fraudulent scholarship programs are among the newest tactics used by human traffickers, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) warning that even university graduates are increasingly being targeted. Experts say traffickers are taking advantage of young people seeking education and employment opportunities in today's highly digitalized world.

Speaking at the Commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2026 held in Jakarta on Thursday, 30 July 2026, Head of UNODC in Indonesia, Erik van Der Veen, said authorities are seeing new forms of deception. "The latest we've been hearing are scams around scholarships," he said, adding that traffickers are "also successfully targeting young people who are searching for opportunities in an increasingly digitalized world."

The warning reflects a broader shift in the profile of trafficking victims. Van Der Veen noted that many people still assume traffickers mainly prey on those facing severe economic hardship.

"People make the assumption that traffickers are targeting people in economic hardship. But they are also successfully targeting young people," he said.

On the same occasion, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) echoed the concern, saying higher education no longer guarantees protection from trafficking schemes. IOM Indonesia Chief of Mission Dr. Nedal Odeh said, "Alarmingly, even university graduates are becoming victims, often forced into criminal work such as online scams."

Indonesia's National Police also warned that traffickers continue to adapt their methods to exploit a wider range of victims. Representing the National Police Chief, Brig. Gen. Umar Surya Fana said traffickers frequently lure victims with promises of easy recruitment processes, exceptionally high salaries, fake investment opportunities, and even internship programs. He added that exploitation can include sexual abuse, forced labor, and other forms of human trafficking disguised as legitimate opportunities.

Umar urged the public to carefully verify offers that appear too good to be true. "Do not easily trust job offers with unrealistic compensation, investments that lack clear legitimacy, or recruitment schemes that lack accountability," he said.

He also stressed that victims of human trafficking are no longer limited to economically vulnerable communities. According to Umar, people with higher education, strong digital skills, and broad access to information have also become targets, underscoring the need for anti-trafficking efforts to evolve alongside changing criminal tactics.