Cambodia’s claim to have ended scam compounds met with scepticism

Cambodia, known for its role as a major hub for international online scams, declared on Friday that it no longer harbors any compounds where such cybercrime took place. However, some remain doubtful about the claim. According to the government's Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), the crackdown was successful, citing the eradication of large-scale scam operations, strict legal actions against offenders, and the establishment of a cybersecurity legal framework.

The commission's claims were received with both skepticism and optimism by independent groups that have been monitoring the scam compounds. These compounds are notorious not only for defrauding billions of dollars from people worldwide but also for engaging in human trafficking. Thousands of foreign workers are tricked into working in near-slave conditions, often lured by false job offers.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that such scams resulted in combined losses of $88.3 billion to $114.1 billion in 2025. Mark Taylor, an independent international anti-trafficking consultant and former head of an anti-trafficking program in Cambodia, expressed skepticism about the government's assertion, stating that there is credible evidence that major scamming operations and recruitment of foreign workers for scamming work continue.

Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, a Vietnam-based anti-human trafficking organization, acknowledged that some criminal compounds used for online scamming have closed, but emphasized the need for continued commitment from the Cambodian government to fully eliminate these compounds and protect victims. In the crackdown, law enforcement forces investigated 793 suspected scam locations and raided 624 sites, detaining nearly 30,000 suspects from 39 nationalities.

Authorities rescued and deported 58,266 foreign nationals, and arrested 3,477 criminal suspects from 29 nationalities. Notably, two influential Chinese businessmen, Chen Zhi and Li Xiong, who had become Cambodian citizens, were extradited earlier this year after their arrests. The crackdown was underscored by the passage of a new law in March that imposes sentences of up to life in prison for online scam operations, following the government's pledge to close down the centers by the end of April.