BBC3 Documentary - Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang

Catfishing: How James Blake hunted down the gang impersonating him online.

The recently published article by BBC "Catfishing: How I hunted down the gang impersonating me online" is about a young entrepreneur, James Blake, who had his digital profile stolen from social media and used by cyber scammer. Mr James Blake happily admits his life is online 24/7.

I eat, sleep and breathe digital. It's the connectivity; the immediacy and international business possibilities of social media that I love. - James Blake

Several months ago a film crew from BBC Three travelled to Mae Sot, Thailand with James Blake to film the documentary "Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang" and interviewed Global Alms Incorporated CEO, Mechelle B Moore, to hear a direct service providers' perspective and her experiences on rescuing, supporting and protecting trafficking in persons for forced criminality along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

I'm grateful for the continuing opportunities to shine a light on the sophisticated growing industry of cyber crime exploiting trafficking in persons for forced criminality along the Thailand-Myanmar border. These cyber scamming compounds have been strategically placed along the Rim Moei River in Myanmar with elaborate and well connected logistical networks developed over the past 8 years. It will take a global effort to shut them down and bring the perpetrators to justice. - Mechelle B Moore

Creative mogul, Pete Grant, filmed and produced the documentary carefully splicing peoples lived experiences together to share James' story and expose the dangers of trafficking in persons for forced criminality from Thailand-Myanmar border to Ireland.

Once you watch the film, I don't think a single person will be able to look at a fake profile the same way again. I also hope it helps raise awareness to these scams so that people are more alert to the dangers online. - James Blake

Soon to be released on BBC Three, Hunting The Catfish Crime Gang will air on Monday 23 October at 21:00 BST (24 October 2023 06:00 AEDT/08:00 NZDT) and BBC One/BB.