Cambodia scams worth 40% of GDP, report says

Cambodia has been branded a global centre for cybercrime, with scam syndicates generating up to $19 billion annually – equivalent to 40% of the country’s GDP. The figure, cited in a 2025 expert report and highlighted by U.S. authorities, surpasses the nation’s largest legitimate industry, garment manufacturing.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sprawling compounds run by transnational networks – many with Chinese links – exploit trafficked workers to defraud victims worldwide. Americans alone lost about $10 billion to scams linked to Southeast Asia in 2024, a sharp rise compared with the previous year.

Foreign officials have begun referring to Cambodia as “Scambodia”, reflecting its growing association with online fraud. Testimonies from rescued workers describe forced labour, confinement and abuse inside scam centres, conditions international organisations say amount to modern slavery.

The report also points to alleged ties between scam networks and powerful business and political figures. Several tycoons and associates have already been hit with U.S. sanctions.

Under mounting international pressure, Phnom Penh has launched a nationwide crackdown. Yet the WSJ notes that many operations have simply dispersed, making them harder to track and dismantle.

The revelations highlight both the human toll and the global financial impact of Cambodia’s scam industry. With billions lost and thousands trapped in abusive conditions, the crisis is now seen as a test of the government’s willingness – and ability – to confront entrenched criminal networks.

-2026-04-22