Information Minister: Cambodia Seeks Global Action to Break Online Scam Chains
Cambodia is seeking stronger international cooperation to break increasingly fragmented online scam networks as authorities intensify a nationwide crackdown and prepare to host an international conference on the growing transnational crime, Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference on the upcoming International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026), Pheaktra said authorities had investigated 832 suspected locations and conducted operations at 663 locations between July 2025 and August 31, 2026.
Of those locations, 86 major scam compounds were cracked down on and placed under control, with legal procedures for confiscation being pursued, he said.
Pheaktra said the crackdown had significantly disrupted large-scale scam operations, but some networks were adapting by moving towards smaller and more dispersed operations.
He said authorities would continue investigating, monitoring and taking action against online scam activities to prevent criminal networks from establishing new locations or changing their methods.
The Minister stressed that online scams cannot be addressed by one country alone because the crime can involve victims, suspects, financial networks and technological infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions.
“Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams” is the official theme of ICCOS-2026, which will be held in Phnom Penh from September 23-24.
The conference will bring together representatives from more than 20 countries and three international organisations to discuss the evolving nature of online scams, exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation against transnational criminal networks.
Pheaktra said Cambodia’s hosting of the conference would provide an opportunity to share its experience while seeking stronger cooperation with international partners to respond to criminal networks that can rapidly change their locations and methods of operation.
He said online scams had become an interconnected issue involving technology, transnational crime and financial systems, requiring coordinated international action to disrupt criminal networks and protect people from digital fraud.
