Cambodian citizens have suffered an estimated $26.2 million in financial losses to online scam operations since 2025, according to National Police Commissioner Sar Theth. Speaking at the International Conference on Combating Online Scams in Phnom Penh, he emphasized that the country is no longer just a hub for scams targeting international victims — it is also increasingly affected by domestic fraud.

Theth noted that law enforcement recorded 1,136 complaints from locals in 2025, with combined losses totaling approximately $4.7 million. So far, only 51 of those cases have been resolved. In the first eight months of this year, authorities received 1,084 additional complaints, representing roughly $21.5 million in losses — yet only 42 have been successfully addressed.

While he did not specify the scam methods used or the nationalities of the perpetrators, Theth pointed to the rapid evolution of technology and telecommunications as major enablers for criminal networks. He also cited significant challenges in tracing illicit financial flows and identifying suspects, especially when some detainees arrive with expired or altered identification, complicating deportation and legal proceedings.

Compounding the problem, most arrests target only lower-level operatives, he said, with the masterminds of large-scale operations frequently operating from outside Cambodia’s borders. This limits the government’s ability to dismantle syndicates at their source.

Public awareness remains insufficient, he added, and without stronger cross-border collaboration, efforts to curb digital fraud will continue to face major obstacles. Theth urged greater coordination among governments and international bodies to disrupt these transnational criminal enterprises.