Cambodian citizens have suffered losses of roughly $26.2 million to online scam networks since 2025, a sign that the country is not simply a base for operations preying on foreigners but is also seeing a rising number of local victims, according to National Police Commissioner Sar Theth.

Addressing the International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS) on September 24, Theth reported that authorities logged 1,136 complaints from Cambodians in 2025, tied to losses of about $4.7 million. Only 51 of those cases had been settled, he cautioned.

In the first eight months of this year, police recorded 1,084 complaints amounting to around $21.5 million in losses, with just 42 resolved, Theth said.

He did not explain how the victims had been deceived, nor did he clarify whether those behind the schemes were Cambodian nationals or foreigners.

Obstacles to Recovering Stolen Funds

Theth pointed to the fast-moving technology and telecommunications tools exploited by criminal groups, along with the challenge of tracing illegal money flows, as factors that make reclaiming stolen funds a difficult undertaking. He noted that public understanding of these dangers also remains limited.

According to Theth, authorities have generally managed to detain only low-ranking operatives, since the masterminds of large-scale scam operations tend to be based overseas. This, he warned, makes it hard to break up the networks entirely.

He added that officials have also struggled to verify the identities of some suspects in custody because their documents had lapsed, slowing repatriation or deportation and forcing Cambodia to bear the associated costs.

Theth urged stronger collaboration between nations and international bodies to "break the chain and combat these borderless crimes."