This reminds me of an IRL story/legend about new arrivals in the Klondike gold rush being tricked into slave labor.
The way the scheme worked according to the story is new arrivals were offered a job working on a claim at a good rate of pay but were required to have a physical first. They were told to take off their clothes in one room and wait for the doctor in another. While they waited someone stole their clothes then the employer would graciously offer them a loan for new clothes and a job at a much lower wage.
It is interesting how mining seems to attract con artists and scammers even in virtual worlds.