Victims of Cambodia’s cyber scam networks have described a “living hell” of violence, torture and forced labour inside compounds where trafficked workers are held captive, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia.
In an end-of-mission statement released on 31 July, Tom Andrews said the expansion of transnational cybercrime networks has become one of Cambodia’s biggest human rights challenges, with thousands of people allegedly forced to operate online scams generating billions of dollars in illegal profits.
“Scam compounds often resemble prisons,” Andrews said, describing facilities with iron-barred windows, high fences topped with razor wire and heavily guarded entrances.
He said trafficked workers have faced torture, solitary confinement, food deprivation and other forms of punishment designed to force them to meet scam targets. Reports of sexual violence and killings have also emerged.
During his first official mission to Cambodia, Andrews said he spoke with trafficking victims who were lured to the country with promises of legitimate jobs in administration or customer service.
Instead, they discovered they had been taken to scam compounds where they were detained and forced to work.
One victim described a “living hell” of violence and torture after asking to return home, Andrews said. Some victims were eventually freed when guards abandoned compounds, but many were left without money or passports and struggled to survive after escaping.
Hundreds of thousands affected
The UN expert said the exact scale of Cambodia’s cyber scam industry remains difficult to determine, but credible reports suggest 100,000 or more people have been trafficked to Cambodia and forced to participate in scam operations.
Cambodian officials told Andrews that around 300,000 people involved in scam operations have voluntarily left the country.
Many scam compounds are located inside casinos, hotels or resorts, he said.
Crackdown continues, but challenges remain
Andrews acknowledged that the Cambodian government has taken steps to combat online scams, including through the Commission for Combating Online Scams led by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Authorities have reportedly closed more than 600 scam locations, launched criminal proceedings against around 3,000 alleged operators, suspended or revoked licences of 29 casinos, and arrested some major scam network leaders.
However, Andrews warned that scam operations continue to exist, with some groups relocating or changing their methods.
He also raised concerns about corruption, saying some scam operators may receive advance warnings before raids.
Victims left without support
Andrews said another major concern is the treatment of people released from scam compounds.
While Cambodian officials said they are screening released individuals to identify trafficking victims and providing assistance, Andrews said some officials acknowledged the country lacks sufficient capacity to properly assess and support survivors.
Human rights experts and aid workers told him that many victims have instead been treated mainly as illegal migrants and returned to their home countries without adequate support.
“There are potentially thousands of trafficking victims currently in desperate situations in Cambodia,” Andrews said, warning that many are receiving little or no assistance from governments or humanitarian organisations.
He urged Cambodia to strengthen efforts to dismantle scam networks and ensure that powerful individuals allegedly connected to the industry are held accountable.