Seventeen workers in Pursat filed a complaint to rights group Licadho yesterday accusing a local recruiting agency of cheating them out of thousands of dollars.

The villagers said they paid an average of $300 a person to the Century Manpower firm, which promised them work in Thailand. Since paying in June 2012, they have been given no position and heard no update. 

“The company lied to us, they cheated us,” said Kep Thoeun, 20, adding that the agency promised to line them up work within 70 days. Many of the 17 workers borrowed money to pay the steep fee and have found themselves grappling with growing debt as the interest fees rise each month.

When workers call the company, they said, the company claims there has been a delay and that they will be sent the following month.

Mit Smout, an investigator at Licadho, said the rights group will file a complaint to the Ministry of Interior. Century Manpower firm could not be reached for comment.