Despite repeated raids, scam centers are difficult to eradicate because theyconstantly shift locations, hide in remote areas, and often receive protection. On January 7, Cambodian authorities announced the arrest of scamkingpinChen Zhi and two other Chinese nationals, Xu Ji Liang and Shao Ji Hui, as part
of a cross-border anti-crime investigation conducted with Beijing officials. US and UK authorities had previously indicted Chen on charges of leadingatransnational criminal organization specializing in labor exploitation and onlinefraud targeting victims worldwide.
(Workers in scam centers rescued in Myanmar in February 2025. Photo: AP)
These scams often begin unexpectedly, from messages offering part-time jobsor asking about free time on the weekend to a simple “hello.” By merelyresponding, victims are gradually drawn into seemingly harmless conversationsthat ultimately cause the money in their accounts to evaporate. The human toll is immense. Hundreds of thousands of people are believedtobetrapped in large-scale complexes across Southeast Asia, forced to commit
online fraud with the sole purpose of draining money from victims’ accounts. Experts warn that even with the arrest of notorious kingpins like ChenZhi, dismantling this multi-billion dollar scam industry remains extremely difficult
for a variety of reasons. Last October, the Myanmar military launched a raid on KK Park, one of thecountry’s most notorious scam complexes located along the border withThailand, and announced the cessation of all operations there. However, KKPark is just one of dozens of scam centers along the Thailand-Myanmar border. It is business as usual at other scam centers in Myanmar, where traffickedvictims from around the world still await rescue. These centers are arguablyeven busier as they absorb the wave of people fleeing from KKPark.
Hundreds of other scam centers operating similarly are scattered acrossSoutheast Asia. This illustrates just how difficult it is to dismantle the onlinescam industry, which can rapidly shift locations and resume operationsfollowing raids. Scam complexes are often built in mountainous or remote rural areas tominimize surveillance. They are equipped with housing, shops, andevenprivate entertainment venues to isolate them from the outside world. Developers often build a single complex and lease the internal spacetomultiple companies, allowing numerous rings to operate simultaneously.
(The KK Park complex in Myawaddy, Myanmar, one of the most notorious
scam hubs in the country, pictured in September 2025. Photo: AFP)
Many facilities operate openly thanks to protection fromofficials or local
armed groups. Smaller operations also exist, hiding within legitimate officebuildings or even rented houses in residential areas. These scam centers originated from casinos, both physical and online, whichhave proliferated across Southeast Asia over the past decade. In 2021 alone, the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) counted more than340licensed and unlicensed casinos in the region.
When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and strict travel restrictions causedgamblers to vanish and revenues to dry up, some casinos pivoted their business. They shifted to a new model, utilizing the existing infrastructure and manpower
of the casinos to defraud victims worldwide through cyber schemes. An estimated 120,000 people in Myanmar are being forced to work in onlinescam rings, along with another 100,000 in Cambodia, according to a 2023report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for HumanRights. Investigators state that many people have been lured to scamcenters by hollowpromises of dream salaries or easy office work. Initially, most workers came from China and Chinese-speaking countries. However, according to the UNODC, personnel are now recruited fromat least
56 countries, ranging from Indonesia to Liberia. For many, the reality is far harsher than advertised. Former workers at scamcenters report that their passports were often confiscated to prevent escape. Only senior managers and trusted aides were allowed to move freely. Thosewho failed to meet scam “quotas” were often beaten or subjected toother
horrific physical punishments.
Scammers always “cast a wide net,” targeting victims globally, and reachingthem has become increasingly easy thanks to AI translation tools. In the Philippines, authorities raided a scam complex in March 2024that
specialized in defrauding Chinese nationals using fake investment scripts. According to a script obtained by the media, scammers used pre-writtenmessages to impersonate senior employees of the China National PetroleumCorporation and persuade victims to invest in crude oil futures. Last year, about 50 South Koreans were repatriated from Cambodia after beingarrested on charges of working for online scam rings.
The US is also targeting the networks behind such scamschemes. Inanindictment against Chen Zhi last year, prosecutors stated that the kingpin’s
organization had defrauded at least 250 Americans of millions of dollars, withone victim losing up to $400,000 in cryptocurrency. According to the USTreasury, Americans lost at least $10 billion to scams linked to Southeast Asiain 2024 alone.
(Chinese police escort scam suspects in November 2023. Photo: Ministry of
Public Security of China)
The scam tactics take myriad forms, from cryptocurrency investment schemesto “task-based” scams, where victims are required to pay money to unlockthenext task with the promise of more attractive rewards. In most cases, victims initially receive small rewards; subsequently, theyget
drawn in and deposit large sums, only to ultimately suffer heavy losses. Scammers often create a sense of urgency, warning victims that they will missout on an opportunity if they do not invest by a certain deadline. Although raids and crackdowns by various governments have helpedclosesome scam centers and rescue thousands of forced labor victims, expertsbelieve that the kingpins behind these networks remain largely untouched. Newscam centers continue to spring up across Southeast Asia and other regions, controlled by kingpins like Chen Zhi.
“If we only rescue victims without arresting those behind them, especiallythemafia gangs or shadowy transnational corporations, it is an exercise in futility,”emphasized Jay Kritiya, a coordinator from the Civil Society Networkfor
Victim Support in Human Trafficking. “They can find new victims. Theycanscam from anywhere.”
Vu Hoang (According to AP, AFP, Reuters)