Online scam networks are exploiting foreign SIM cards and mobile networks to make fraud appear as if it comes from inside victims' own countries, Cambodia's telecommunications minister has warned, calling for closer international cooperation to stop cross-border fraud.

Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth made the comments at the International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026) in Phnom Penh on September 23. He said Cambodia's experience shows that criminal groups deliberately use phone numbers registered in the same country as their targets to make calls and messages seem domestic and more credible.

Roaming tactic makes scams look domestic

According to Vandeth, perpetrators based in Cambodia can acquire SIM cards issued in other countries and then use them via international roaming. Because the number displayed to the recipient looks local, victims are more likely to trust the contact.

“Criminals use phone numbers from the countries of the people they want to scam,” he said.

Authorities in Cambodia have found large numbers of foreign SIMs being smuggled into the country specifically for scam operations. In one recent raid on a small fraud compound, officials seized more than 50,000 SIM cards from several different countries, Vandeth said.

Call for stricter SIM registration

The minister urged all countries to tighten rules on SIM card sales and require thorough identity checks before activation.

“No telco anywhere in the world should be allowed to sell anonymous SIM cards,” he said.

Cambodia points to domestic crackdown

Vandeth said Cambodia has stepped up efforts to prevent its telecom infrastructure from being abused by criminal networks.

Since 2022, the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) has acted against more than 330 illegal base stations, including equipment used to provide unauthorized telecom services linked to online scams.

Authorities have also moved to dismantle the online infrastructure behind the fraud. A specialized monitoring team has helped block over 53,000 illicit websites, while partnerships with major platforms such as Meta, Telegram and Binance have led to the removal of more than 5,300 accounts, pages and groups connected to scam recruitment, fraudulent job offers and other forms of online deception.

Cross-border cooperation essential

Vandeth emphasized that domestic enforcement alone is not enough, as the networks behind these schemes operate internationally.

“Cambodia cannot solve this problem on our own,” he said, urging governments, regulators, law enforcement, financial institutions, telecom operators and tech platforms to share intelligence, improve identity verification systems and close regulatory loopholes that criminals exploit.

“Only coordinated international action can close this gap,” he added.