AKP Phnom Penh, September 18, 2026 --

From Sept. 23 to 24, 2026, Cambodia will host the “International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026)” in Phnom Penh under the theme “Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams.”

The conference will provide an important platform for the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to convey a clear message about its political will, concrete measures and tangible achievements in combating and eradicating online scams. These efforts are aimed not only at safeguarding national security and social order, but also at protecting Cambodia’s reputation and contributing to the international fight against this growing transnational crime.

The international conference will also demonstrate the firm position of Cambodia’s competent authorities in continuing to take rigorous and uncompromising action against online scams. Through strict enforcement of the law, Cambodian authorities are working to dismantle criminal networks, prevent their activities and ensure that Cambodian territory is not used as a base for such crimes.

At the same time, the conference will demonstrate Cambodia’s active participation and sense of responsibility in global efforts to combat transnational organised crime, which remains a shared challenge for the international community.

The event will further provide an opportunity for Cambodia to explain its efforts to protect and restore its image in the face of allegations concerning online scams. In 2025, a neighbouring country used the issue of online scams as a pretext to damage Cambodia’s reputation and commit acts of aggression, even though the same country is a major hub for various forms of online fraud in Asia, including counterfeit-goods scams, romance scams, cryptocurrency investment schemes and call-centre operations.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), transnational organised crime groups operating in Southeast Asia are increasingly transforming into “providers of criminal services,” engaging in a wide range of illicit activities, including technology-facilitated scams.

Online scam operations exist in almost every Southeast Asian country and often operate alongside legitimate gambling businesses. Cambodia, however, has never turned a blind eye to this problem. Once criminal groups were identified as using Cambodian territory as a base for scam operations, Cambodian authorities took measures to address the issue.

It is important to recognise that online scams are transnational crimes, with criminal organisers, operators and victims often located in different countries and jurisdictions. As online scams have become a global challenge, addressing them requires international cooperation, coordination and information sharing. No single country can effectively tackle this complex problem alone.

Following the implementation of strong measures under the leadership of the Head of the Royal Government, Cambodian competent authorities have dismantled criminal networks, resulting in arrests, prosecutions and the deportation of numerous individuals to their countries of origin.

“Currently, Cambodia no longer harbours locations for large-scale scam operations,” stated H.E. Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister and Head of the Secretariat of the Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams.

“Scamming activities persist and are shifting towards small-scale operations carried out in rented rooms, guesthouses, condominiums, private homes, vehicles, coffee shops and the like,” he pointed out.

These developments demonstrate that Cambodia has neither denied the existence of online scams within its territory nor remained passive in addressing the problem. The vigorous and concrete crackdowns undertaken in recent years demonstrate the country’s determination to dismantle criminal networks and prevent them from operating in Cambodia, despite their constantly changing methods and tactics.

Cambodian authorities will continue to take firm action and will not allow criminal groups to use Cambodian territory as a base for their illegal activities.

The upcoming conference will therefore provide Cambodia with an opportunity to share with the international community the results of its efforts to combat online scams. Bringing together leaders, senior government officials, international organisations, law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity experts, financial institutions, technology companies and international partners from around the world, the conference will provide an important opportunity for Cambodia to reaffirm the RGC’s commitment, under the leadership of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to actively contributing to international efforts to combat transnational crime.

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, stated, “Cambodia will let the world know that it has eliminated online scams.” He made the remarks during a meeting with leaders of ministries, institutions and councils at the capital, district and commune levels, as well as various departments and units under the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre on May 24, 2026.

Addressing leaders of senates and national assemblies from 26 countries and representatives of relevant international organisations at the 2nd Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC-2) in Phnom Penh on Aug. 27, 2026, Samdech Techo Hun Sen also underlined the danger of using transnational crimes such as online scams as a pretext for actions beyond sovereign jurisdiction, describing such practices as a form of modern warfare.

At the same time, Prime Minister Hun Manet has repeatedly delivered messages, including in interviews with major international media outlets, underscoring Cambodia’s commitment to decisively combating and eliminating online scams.

Cambodia is among the countries affected by this global crisis. Its experience in implementing comprehensive measures demonstrates that dismantling cross-border criminal networks requires a clear strategy, a strong legal framework, effective national coordination mechanisms and close international cooperation.

Cambodia therefore expects ICCOS-2026 to serve as a practical platform for strengthening cooperation, sharing information and experience, and developing effective measures to disrupt criminal networks and combat technology-facilitated scams.

Through this conference, Cambodia calls on all countries to join forces to break the chain of online scams and combat this transnational crime for the sake of security, stability and sustainable development for all.

In conclusion, Cambodia remains committed to eradicating online scam operations from its territory and preventing criminal groups from using the country as a base for their activities. At the same time, Cambodia will continue working with the international community to address this global challenge. The nation’s honour and the well-being of its citizens remain among the Royal Government’s key priorities, true to the Khmer proverb: “Pure gold does not fear the fire.”

AKP