Key facts
- Cambodia will never be a safe haven for online scam operations, Prime Minister Hun Manet stated.
- The UN estimated victims were defrauded of up to $114 billion last year.
- Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia and Myanmar, has become a hub for scam syndicates.
- Cambodia launched a crackdown last year to dismantle scam compounds.
- Cambodia has frozen over $300 million in bank accounts linked to online scam crimes.
- 446 cases involving 3,927 suspects have been sent to court.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet declared on September 23, 2026, that the nation will not serve as a "safe haven" for scam operations, emphasizing that unilateral action is insufficient to dismantle the criminal networks. Speaking at an international conference in Phnom Penh, Manet stated that Cambodian authorities have "completely dismantled all light-scale scam compounds" as part of a high-profile crackdown launched last year. The conference, organized by the Cambodian government, aimed to address the growing global threat of online scams.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that victims worldwide were defrauded of up to $114 billion last year. Southeast Asia, with Cambodia and Myanmar identified as key hubs, has seen a rise in scam centers staffed by individuals, some of whom are trafficked. The United States estimates that transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Asia defrauded Americans of at least $18.2 billion in 2025 alone.
Cambodia's efforts have been influenced by pressure from allies like China and the United States, following years of accusations that it facilitated thriving scam centers. While Cambodian authorities have frozen over $300 million in bank accounts linked to scam crimes and sent 446 cases involving 3,927 suspects to court, researchers suggest scammers have dispersed to smaller locations, sometimes with advance warning of raids. The FBI has identified online scams as a top priority, urging greater accountability for high-level scam organizers and increased information sharing regarding complicit officials.
Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security Yang Weilin praised Cambodia's cooperation but cautioned that the "breeding ground for telecom fraud has not been fully rooted out." FBI official Stephen Flores stressed the need for law enforcement partnerships built on "trust and shared sacrifice." Analysts remain concerned that elite protection networks and the industry's infrastructure allow operators to regroup.