Cambodia’s Online Scam Crackdown Leaves Workers Stranded

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Remnants of a once-thriving online scam industry are scattered throughout this Southeast Asian city. The industry flourished for over five years but was dismantled by a recent government crackdown. Towering high-rises overlooking the Mekong River now stand empty, and a branch of Prince Supermarket sits deserted after its parent company faced U.S. sanctions. The crackdown exposed a secondary crisis: thousands of freed foreign workers, once held by these online operators, now wander the streets with limited options.

Non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, report that many of these workers were victims of human trafficking. They face a humanitarian crisis, stranded in a city following a widely reported government operation. Mark Taylor, a consultant on human trafficking, stated, “The government has only addressed half of the problem.” He stressed the need to focus on the vulnerable migrants drawn into these scams.

“The government has only addressed half of this problem,” said Mark Taylor.

A former scam worker shared a telling photograph: dozens of phones used to recruit victims. Cambodia became a hub for scams that exploited victims through fraudulent investments. The FBI reports these scams caused losses of over $20 billion to Americans last year, and the number continues to climb. Behind the scams lay a system of coercion; many workers were promised proper jobs but ended up forced into fraudulent activities.

Shuiab, a Ugandan, expected work as a delivery driver for $850 monthly, yet found himself complicit in scams. Another worker, Wilson, recounted brutal experiences, including electrocution for unmet quotas. “They have a place called the black room,” he explained, detailing harsh conditions.

Organizations have documented forced labor within this industry for years. Amnesty International interviewed 73 people released from these sites, revealing they all faced human trafficking. Prince Holding Group faced sanctions, and its chairman Chen Zhi was extradited and charged with directing forced-labor scam compounds. Other alleged leaders have been extradited, creating a significant impact on the industry.

The crackdown’s effects reached scam compounds akin to mini-cities, capable of housing tens of thousands. In March, NPR visited a site that could accommodate 20,000 workers. As facilities shut down, migrants ended up on the streets, lacking essentials like money, shelter, and food. The government imposed fines for visa overstays, adding to their hardships.

Only one shelter in Cambodia houses trafficking victims, but it is full, with hundreds on a waitlist. NGOs report increasing migrant detentions for visa violations, subjecting them to overcrowded conditions. “Rather than identifying and supporting trafficking victims,” an Amnesty report criticized the treatment of fleeing or released individuals as irregular migrants.

Authorities reject this criticism. Interior Ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak stated that thousands of scam workers have been rescued and repatriated lawfully. Yet, reports from detention facilities portray an alarming reality. One former worker detailed limited access to free drinking water and fear for survival.