Scam Networks Turn to Young Cambodians as Crackdown Intensifies

Criminal networks in Sihanoukville are increasingly turning to local youth to replace foreign workers in online scam operations, according to interviews and on-the-ground reporting. While the Cambodian government has stepped up its crackdown on scam compounds, creating uncertainty for these fraudulent operations, some continue to operate discreetly despite enforcement efforts.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia — Criminal networks behind Cambodia’s vast online scam industry are increasingly recruiting Cambodian youth to replace their reliance on foreign workers, as authorities step up enforcement and uncertainty spreads across transnational scam operations. The shift follows a series of intensified crackdowns, including the January 6, 2026 arrest of Chen Zhi, a Chinese national who also holds Cambodian citizenship. Authorities allege Chen was linked to a large-scale international online scam network. Since his arrest, enforcement actions have accelerated, disrupting operations across the country and fueling anxiety among scam operators and workers alike.

Recruiting local workers is widely seen as a strategy to address labor shortages while drawing less attention from authorities, who have traditionally targeted buildings known to house large numbers of foreign nationals.

Interviews with current and former workers, vendors, and tuk-tuk drivers, as well as direct observations by VOD journalists in Sihanoukville in November 2025 and early January 2026, show how one major scam hub relied heavily on Cambodian youth.

A key site, known locally as the “Twin Buildings,” is a 21-story complex in the city’s Chinatown area. The compound had served as a major base for online scam operations, employing both foreign workers and hundreds of Cambodian youths. After Chen Zhi’s arrest, authorities raided several locations in Chinatown, leading to the closure of the Twin Buildings. When reporters returned on January 23, 2026, the area was unusually quiet. Workers who once moved around the clock had disappeared, several nearby shops were shuttered, and the building’s entrance was no longer guarded.

A nearby beverage and food vendor, who requested anonymity, said the building had been closed since January 15. “Everything is closed. Now it’s hard even to earn enough to buy food,” he said.

The Twin Buildings had already been raided in October 2025, before the arrest of Chen Zhi, when foreign workers were reportedly removed. But vendors said scam operations quietly resumed soon afterward and continued until Chen Zhi’s arrest. They spoke on condition of anonymity due to fears for their safety and livelihoods.

In early January, a beverage seller described a noticeable shift in the workforce:

“Now we don’t see foreigners as many as before, especially Chinese people. Most of the workers are Cambodian youth, especially young women, working inside the building.” Vendors and tuk-tuk drivers said the activity inside was simply described as “online work,” though no one could clearly explain what it involved, underscoring the secrecy surrounding the operations.

During reporting in late November 2025, VOD journalists observed hundreds of Cambodian youths working inside the Twin Buildings. Some said they were assigned to a “scripting” section, sending pre-written messages in foreign languages such as Italian and Spanish to people overseas.

One young woman said she earned USD 600 per month, with accommodation provided, and worked 12-hour shifts from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

“I send messages in Spanish using a translation app. I don’t know what happens after that. I only look for customers for them,” she said.

In early January 2026, two women who had recently started working there said they were instructed to search for “customers” in New Mexico in the United States, using Google Translate to send messages. One said she quit after failing to find anyone to respond.

“I decided to quit because I couldn’t find customers for them. I don’t want to say much because I’m afraid,” she said.

Another worker, who gave her name as Leak, said she worked for just seven days. Her role was “adding contacts,” meaning connecting with South Korean social media users. She earned USD 500 per month and worked from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.

“When contact with a Korean person is successful, a Chinese manager takes over,” she said. When contacted on January 23, Leak said she had lost her job after the compound was closed.

Other workers described nearly identical tasks. A 19-year-old man said:

“They give us lists of names and tell us these people are in Spain and Italy. I send messages using a translation app. When someone replies, I just forward it to the manager.”

A 22-year-old woman said Chinese managers controlled all decisions. “They told us the customers were in Europe and South Korea. We didn’t search on our own. TikTok accounts and scripts were provided by Chinese managers,” she said.

Before its closure, the Twin Buildings operated continuously. About 10 security guards were stationed at the entrance, and on January 2, 2026, reporters observed a 45-seat bus transporting workers from their accommodation to the site. Workers arrived and left at all hours, on foot, by motorcycle, tuk-tuk, or in company vehicles. Security guards used whistles to manage traffic flow.

Even late at night, surrounding businesses remained open to serve workers food and drinks. Lights inside the building stayed on until deep into the night, signaling nonstop operations. On one side of the complex, a sign reading “Forever Gold Casino” was visible, though the casino itself did not appear to be operating. The sign was believed to help disguise the true nature of the activities inside. After the shutdown, the casino name was covered.

VOD has not yet been able to obtain comment from Preah Sihanouk provincial spokesperson Long Dimanche.

Jacob Sims, a researcher specializing in online scam networks in Southeast Asia, said the increased use of local labor reflects growing instability within scam operations. He pointed to Thailand’s crackdown on border-based scam centers, U.S. sanctions, and enforcement actions led by Chinese authorities.

He said the discovery of Cambodian labor inside scam compounds was “certainly good evidence” that local recruitment and human trafficking are increasing. “I would be more inclined to think that the turn to Cambodian laborers is due to uncertainty by foreign workers given the publicity about Thai strikes, U.S. sanctions, and China-led enforcement actions, rather than any material shift in the Cambodian government’s actions,” Sims wrote in an email.

Following Chen Zhi’s arrest, multiple scam sites were raided, triggering fear across other compounds. Some operations reportedly began allowing foreign workers to leave freely, something that had previously been impossible. Foreign nationals, including Chinese, Indonesians, Myanmar citizens, Pakistanis, and other Black foreign nationals, have since sought assistance from their embassies in Phnom Penh. Many lack passports, legal residency documents, or the funds needed to return home.