FBI: Scam crisis is regional, not Cambodian

PHNOM PENH, Feb 24, 2026 (KPT) – The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has stressed that the surge in scam operations across Southeast Asia is a regional challenge, not confined to Cambodia or any single country.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing on Feb 23 after visits to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, Scott Schelble, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s International Operations Division, described scam compounds as large-scale, highly organized criminal enterprises targeting victims worldwide, including Americans.

“These compounds can go anywhere next,” Schelble said, noting that operators relocate and reinvest profits to establish new facilities when crackdowns occur. He rejected country-specific framing, saying: “This is not a Cambodian problem. This is not a Thai problem or a Vietnamese problem. This is regional, and it will require a coordinated approach if we are going to properly address it.”

According to the FBI, transnational fraud networks in Southeast Asia have scaled up to an industrial level, generating billions of dollars in illicit gains. In 2025 alone, its Internet Crime Complaint Center logged more than 80,000 complaints linked to such scams, with reported losses exceeding $2.9 billion.

Schelble said the networks exploit borders, legal differences, technology platforms and, in some cases, human trafficking to sustain operations. He called for stronger cross-border coordination and intelligence sharing among Southeast Asian law enforcement agencies.

The remarks underscore growing pressure for regional cooperation as governments intensify efforts to dismantle scam compounds and disrupt transnational crime networks.