More than 1,400 Indonesians left suspected cyberscam compounds in Cambodia between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20 and sought help at Indonesia's embassy in Phnom Penh following a government pledge to crack down on online fraud. Many evacuees lack passports or valid immigration permits; the embassy is assisting with travel documents and overstay waivers. The wave of departures followed high-profile enforcement actions, including the arrest and deportation of alleged scam operator Chen Zhi, which analysts say prompted some operators to release or evacuate staff.
More Than 1,400 Indonesians Evacuated From Cambodian Scam Compounds in Five Days, Embassy Says
Indonesians gather outside Jakarta's embassy in Phnom Penh this week seeking documents to leave the country (STR)(STR/AFP/AFP)
Jakarta reported on Wednesday that more than 1,400 Indonesian nationals left suspected cyberscam compounds across Cambodia between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20 and sought assistance at the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh, after Cambodian authorities vowed a renewed crackdown on the illicit industry.
Mass Evacuations Follow Law-Enforcement Moves
Between Jan. 16 and 20, a total of 1,440 Indonesians departed sites believed to be operated by online scam syndicates and arrived at the Indonesian embassy for help, the mission said in a statement. The embassy recorded its largest single influx on Monday, when 520 people turned up seeking consular support.
Problems Complicating Repatriation
The embassy warned that many evacuees lack passports or valid immigration permits, which complicates efforts to return them home. "The main problem for them is that they do not possess passports and they are staying in Cambodia without valid immigration permits," the statement said, noting embassy staff can assist with travel documents and requests for overstay fine waivers.
Scope of the Scam Industry
Scam operations based in hubs across Southeast Asia — some staffed by volunteers and others by people believed to have been trafficked — lure victims worldwide with fake romance schemes and bogus cryptocurrency investments, generating tens of billions of dollars annually. The United Nations estimates that at least 100,000 people are employed by the online fraud industry in Cambodia alone.
Recent Arrests and Extraditions
Earlier this month, Cambodian authorities arrested and deported Chinese-born tycoon Chen Zhi to China; he was accused of running internet scam operations from Cambodia and had been indicted by U.S. prosecutors in October. Analysts say Chen's extradition has spurred some scam operators to release or evacuate people from compounds amid fears of prosecution, contributing to recent waves of arrivals at embassies.
Consular Workload
Indonesia said its embassy in Phnom Penh handled more than 5,000 consular cases for citizens in Cambodia last year, and that more than 80% of those involved Indonesians who admitted to being involved with online scam syndicates. The embassy urged nationals leaving scam sites to report to consular staff so they can be assisted with documentation and safe repatriation.
"We encourage all Indonesians leaving these sites to contact the embassy for assistance with travel documents and to seek waivers for overstay fines," the embassy said.
Authorities and analysts warn that dismantling these networks will require coordinated law enforcement, victim support, and international cooperation to address trafficking, fraud and the cross-border criminal networks that profit from them.
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