The government of Cambodia announced Friday that it has prepared its first draft law aimed at cracking down on online scam centers, as authorities pledge to shut down such operations by the end of April.
Cambodia has become a major base for online fraud schemes that trick victims through fake investment offers and romance scams, costing people around the world tens of billions of dollars every year.
Many workers in these scam centers—often from other Asian countries—are reportedly lured with fake job offers and later forced to work in exploitative conditions resembling modern-day slavery.
Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said the proposed law would serve as a key legal tool for combating online fraud and money laundering while proving that Cambodia is not a refuge for criminals.
Under the legislation approved by the Cabinet, individuals who organize or manage online scam operations could face five to 10 years in prison and fines ranging from 500 million to 1 billion riels (about $125,000–$250,000). If the crimes involve human trafficking, violence, or unlawful detention, penalties could increase to 10–20 years in prison and fines of up to 2 billion riels (around $500,000). If a death is linked to a scam center, offenders could face 15–30 years in prison or even life sentences.
The draft law still requires approval from Parliament before it becomes effective.
Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who leads the government’s commission on combating online scams, told The Associated Press that authorities have targeted about 250 suspected scam locations since July and closed nearly 200 of them.
During the same period, the government filed 79 cases involving 697 suspected ringleaders and associates connected to the operations.
Authorities have also repatriated nearly 10,000 workers from scam centers to 23 different countries, while fewer than 1,000 individuals are still waiting to return home. Some others who managed to escape or were freed during raids have already returned independently.
Pheaktra said the government has intensified efforts to fight online scams to safeguard the country’s economic reputation, which has been harmed by such criminal activities. He added that the government does not benefit financially from these operations.
Despite previous crackdowns, however, scam networks have continued operating, leading some experts to question whether the new measures will succeed.
Jacob Sims, a specialist in transnational crime and visiting fellow at Harvard University Asia Center, said the key issue is whether authorities will dismantle the broader systems that enable the scam industry rather than simply shutting down the buildings where it operates.
He noted that past enforcement efforts in Cambodia often failed to disrupt the financial and protection networks behind the scams, allowing the operations to quickly resume.