Seven families from Tbong Khmum’s Dambe district yesterday sought the assistance of rights group Adhoc in repatriating their daughters – one of them underage – from Malaysia after they were cheated by two brokers.

The seven women, who left to work in Malaysia in July and August, were identified as Hal Neath, 17; Keoun Sokra, 19; Nath Chakrya, 19; Van Nai Song, 18; Heng Soknan, 30; Ken Kou, 18, and Yun Sok, 19.

One of the maids, Chakrya, was arrested last week, but it is unknown where she is being detained, the families said.

Meanwhile, Touch Kern, brother of Sokra, said that his sister had called to say she left her job, but didn’t know where in Malaysia she had been taken. The remaining five fear arrest as they have expired tourist visas.

“The broker came to our village to persuade . . . my sister,” said Ouk Ne, Neath’s brother. “But now she called the family to say that she was cheated.”

Neang Sovath, provincial coordinator for Adhoc, said the organisation was collecting information to intervene.

Late last year, the government lifted a 2011 ban on sending domestic workers to Malaysia, which was implemented after years of accounts of abuse.