Cambodia Denies Being Origin of Cyber Scams, Pledges Enhanced International Cooperation

Cambodia is not the origin of cyber scams but has been chosen as a target country among others for such activities, stated the head of the secretariat for the National Committee for Combating Cyber Fraud. This was disclosed during an international conference held on September 23, 2026, in Phnom Penh, themed "Jointly Towards Severing the Chain and Ending Cyber Fraud." His Excellency Santebandith Chea Sinnarith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, and Chairman of the Secretariat of the National Committee for Combating Cyber Fraud, emphasized that Cambodia is not the primary source of cyber fraud but is selected as one of the targets by international criminal networks. These foreign criminal networks utilize Cambodian territory to conduct cyber fraud targeting victims abroad, as well as Cambodian citizens. Deputy Prime Minister Chea Sinnarith explained that cyber fraud, or technological impersonation, is a new form of fraud committed through technology. It is complex, has severe impacts, and is rapidly evolving globally. He further stated that this crime is committed in the form of transnational organized crime, with criminal networks using locations in one country to defraud victims in others. He stressed that the negative impacts affect all sectors, including national security, public order, tourism, investment, the overall economy, and Cambodia's international reputation and dignity. He added that perpetrators of these cyber fraud operations come from various locations, and all the impacts are falling upon Cambodia as a victim country. In the current context, the international security environment is increasingly complex, vulnerable, rapidly changing, interconnected, and difficult to predict. Cyber fraud is a non-traditional security threat that has evolved into a complex transnational criminal network. This cyber fraud crime is no longer an isolated incident but is part of a vast criminal network, often intertwined with other offenses such as human trafficking, forced labor, money laundering, and other forms of organized transnational crime. These issues are transnational, evolving rapidly, and beyond the capacity of any single state to resolve effectively on its own, the Deputy Prime Minister noted. Under the high leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Cambodia took the initiative to host this international conference, with the cooperation and support of partner international organizations. This demonstrates the political will of the Royal Government and the results of the campaign to eradicate cyber fraud without exception or retreat, as well as the openness to international cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Chea Sinnarith expressed gratitude to all international partners for their cooperation with Cambodia in information sharing, research support, investigation, analysis, capacity building, and the repatriation of their citizens. Thanks were also extended to three international organizations: INTERPOL, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (ROSEAP), and the Mekong-Lancang Law Enforcement Cooperation and Integration Center (LMLECC). Representatives from 27 countries and 6 international organizations, totaling over 500 participants, attended the conference. The conference was organized to provide a platform for dialogue, partnership building, and joint action among governments, international organizations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, technology companies, research institutions, and other stakeholders. The conference aims to: (1) gain a deeper understanding of the evolving complex ecosystem of cyber fraud networks; (2) strengthen international cooperation, coordination, information sharing, mutual technical assistance, and multilateral partnerships in combating cyber fraud; and (3) promote the exchange of experiences and best practices, and generate calls for joint action against cyber fraud.