PHNOM PENH: The jury may still be out on Cambodia’s crackdown on scam centres, but a new problem has emerged.
The shutdown of these centres has left thousands of foreigners without jobs or shelter, and unable to return to their home countries without passport or money.
Analysts warn that these people could end up being recruited back into new scam centres, become a source of social disorder, or even trigger a humanitarian crisis.
In the last two months, hardly a week has gone by without news reports about the Cambodian authorities flushing out scam operations. In early March, Prime Minister Hun Manet vowed to shut all scam centres in the country by the end of April to restore tourist and investor confidence.
Besides the capital Phnom Penh, other scam hot spots include border areas with Thailand, such as O’Smach town and Poipet city in north-western Cambodia, as well as border cities with Vietnam, including Bavet and Kampot in the south.
On a recent weekday in April, about 70 men were seen milling around a park opposite the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh. At night, many slept on straw mats on a nearby pavement outside shops that had shuttered for the day.
Marco Lem, 28, told The Straits Times that he has been sleeping on the street outside the Indonesian embassy for the last two months while seeking help to obtain a passport and return to Jakarta. The father of two claimed that he was lured to work in a casino but was subsequently led to the infamous Sihanoukville and forced to scam people.
Sihanoukville, a coastal port city in south-western Cambodia, is known as a global hot spot for gambling, cybercrime and reported cases of human trafficking tied to such illicit activities.
“I don’t know whether I will be arrested when I return to Indonesia. But I’ve seen friends who went back and were not arrested,” Marco said.
A day after he spoke to ST, he sent a text message asking: “Can you help me (with) $10 for food? I need help because already 3 days not yet eat some food.”
Another Indonesian, David Butar, 23, has also been left on the street to fend for himself. The father of a two-year-old daughter said he was tricked into working in a scam compound in Bavet, Svay Rieng province bordering Vietnam. On the street for two months now, he is waiting for the Indonesian embassy’s help to return home. He said he needs official documents to be repatriated, as he had overstayed in Cambodia while being holed up in the scam compound.
ST is unable to independently verify both men’s claims of being tricked into scam compounds. The Indonesian embassy has yet to reply to queries on the matter.
A humanitarian disaster?
On April 24, Cambodia declared that the authorities had cracked down on more than 250 online scam locations and closed 91 casinos between July 2025 and mid-April 2026.
The aggressive crackdown has raised concerns that large numbers of scam workers – both voluntary and forced – could be left stranded.
It is difficult to estimate the number of workers involved in scam operations in Cambodia, as the centres operate like a revolving door, with workers recruited regularly and moved to different locations in the country.
While some joined willingly for the pay, others were deceived with job offers, and many ended up trapped after their passports were seized by operators.
In the update on April 24, the government said that 241,888 individuals from countries such as China, Pakistan and Indonesia had left the country voluntarily between mid-January and April 19.
But many former scam centre workers remain in Cambodia, with some housed by non-governmental organisations or in temporary holding facilities like the one near the old Phnom Penh airport.
“If thousands of displaced workers are left homeless or scattered without a clear plan for repatriation or protection, the country risks a secondary security crisis,” said independent Phnom Penh-based analyst Vanly Seng, referring to the possibility that these workers may turn to crime out of desperation.
Reports have also surfaced online of some former female scam workers claiming that they were raped after being left to fend for themselves on the streets.
“It’s quickly turned into a humanitarian disaster, with both the local authorities and international organisations struggling to keep up,” said Mr John Wojcik, a senior threat researcher with US cybersecurity firm Infoblox.
Bangkok on high alert
The scourge of scams is not just a Cambodia issue.
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance estimates that across the globe, US$442 billion was lost to scammers in 2025. A UN report in 2026 said the scam industry in the Mekong region alone is worth over U$43.8 billion a year.
Cambodia’s intensive crackdown on scam compounds has not gone unnoticed by neighbouring Thailand.
Responding to ST’s queries, Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said there may be a risk of the scam centres moving to neighbouring countries as Cambodia intensifies its law enforcement operations.
The ministry said Bangkok has strengthened its border controls and surveillance, with security agencies on high alert.
Despite strained relations after their border clashes in 2025, Thailand said it remains committed to working with Cambodia to combat online scams and looks forward to a “sincere and serious response” from Phnom Penh on this issue.
The Cambodian government has identified combating online scams as a top national priority, saying that the illicit activities have affected its economy and image.
Phnom Penh said it wants to dismantle entire criminal networks and sever all the scam syndicates’ financial sources in Cambodia to ensure a lasting solution.
Crackdown is only half the battle
While analysts largely welcome Cambodia’s efforts, they say these are not enough to root out the problem of scams.
Vanly Seng, the analyst, said: “Raiding physical buildings is only half the battle.”
He added: “Without a sustained effort to dismantle the financial pipelines and the encrypted communication networks they use, I suspect we are seeing a displacement of the problem rather than its total eradication.”
As part of its enforcement efforts, the Cambodian government has filed 112 cases in court involving 1,089 individuals linked to scam operations.
But Bunna Vann, head of research and advocacy programme at the Cambodian Youth Network Association, said the government has largely taken action against low-level perpetrators. Many influential figures and those with political backing behind the scam activities remain at large.
Wojcik of Infoblox said today’s highly sophisticated and hypermobile syndicates operate more like transnational corporations, making them difficult to eradicate completely.
He advised countries to devise better ways to tackle the fast-evolving and sophisticated online scamming activities. One strategy is to implement National Protective Domain Name Service programmes, which will make networks more secure by preventing access to malware, phishing attacks and viruses at source.
If the authorities stick to traditional methods, Wojcik is convinced that the scam business will likely continue once the dust settles.
Meanwhile, David remains hopeful even though he has been sleeping rough for weeks.
“I’m happy now because I’m free from the scam compound. I want to go back to Indonesia.” - The Straits Times/ANN
