Cambodia’s crackdown on online scams shows that nobody is above the law

Online scams are among the most serious transnational crimes threatening global security. They defraud victims around the world and move illicit funds across borders, undermining trust in online commerce and finance. In Southeast Asia, criminal networks also prey on people seeking work, trapping them in scam operations.

Cambodia is tackling this problem head-on. Cambodia is also a victim of these networks. They have damaged our reputation and exploited vulnerable people on our territory. Scam networks have taken advantage of Cambodia’s openness and the ease of movement across the region. Under Prime Minister Hun Manet’s leadership, the government has made the fight against online scams a national priority. The legal framework is stronger. Law enforcement has expanded, and cooperation with international partners has increased.

Scams are operated by sophisticated cross-border enterprises that recruit across jurisdictions and adapt quickly. Many people working in scam compounds are themselves victims. They are lured by false job offers and trafficked to Cambodia. Once there, they are stripped of their passports and identity documents and forced to commit fraud under threat of violence.

Cambodia understands that outside observers want tangible results, not promises. The real test of this crackdown is on the ground: Are sites shut down and kept closed? Are victims protected? Are those behind these networks brought to justice?

Cambodia has made measurable progress. From July 2025 to May 2026, police investigated more than 400 cases in Phnom Penh and across the provinces. Twenty-five casino locations had their licenses revoked or suspended because of links to online scams and were then shut down. A total of 143........

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