All or Nothing: Where are the other 826 missing people?

Where are the other 826 missing people?

On January 9, a plea-for-help document compiling reports of compatriots trapped in Myanmar began circulating across several family support groups. In less than two days, the document had already gathered over a hundred reports of missing persons.

China is widely regarded as one of the safest countries in the world. Yet, so many people have gone missing along the Thai-Myanmar border—a reality that defies our usual expectations.

Data keywords of missing persons

Xiao Dai, the initiator of the online document, joined family support groups in northern and eastern Myanmar after her brother disappeared in 2024 shortly after traveling there. Determined to help more families locate their loved ones, she began collecting information from community members and set up a missing persons database.

Age distribution of missing persons

An analysis of the scam victims’ age distribution reveals that 70% are under 30, with those aged 19 to 30 accounting for over 60% of the cases. Next are individuals in their 30s to 40s, while victims under 15 and over 40 are much less common—with almost no cases reported for those above 40.

Analysis of the year the case was filed

Reported cases were relatively low between 2014 and 2017, but began to rise steadily from 2018 to 2023. The dramatic surge in 2024 is primarily attributed to the rampant activities of telecom fraud gangs in northern Myanmar, which have led to a significant number of disappearances. Increased international scrutiny of the telecom fraud problem in the region has also prompted relevant countries to intensify investigations and registrations of missing persons cases, contributing further to the spike in numbers.

Case-filing situation

Data analysis, combined with insights from police officers involved in anti-fraud and repatriation rescue operations, indicates that many young people venture to northern Myanmar in search of quick money. Unable to resist the lure of seemingly high wages, they opt to go there in pursuit of opportunity—most of them being young individuals born in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Location of disappearance overlapping keywords

In recent years, an ever-expanding array of scam tactics has emerged, thriving on the exploitation of human vulnerabilities—such as personal hardships, financial pressures, or the lure of quick wealth. According to the data, many victims unwittingly fall into these traps, suffering not only financial losses but also psychological trauma.

It is hoped that this data will receive the attention it deserves, and that every “star” finds their way safely back home.