A top Cambodian official has cautioned that online fraud networks are taking advantage of foreign SIM cards and telecom systems to reach victims within their own nations, underscoring the urgent need for greater cross-border collaboration to dismantle these operations.

Addressing the International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026) in Phnom Penh on September 23, Chea Vandeth, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, said Cambodia's own experience revealed that fraudsters frequently rely on phone numbers registered in the countries where their targets reside, making calls and messages seem locally sourced.

"Criminals use phone numbers from the countries of the people they want to scam," Vandeth said.

He noted that offenders based in Cambodia are able to acquire SIM cards from abroad and then take advantage of international roaming services. Since the displayed number looks local to the recipient, the scammer comes across as more credible.

Cambodian officials have found that vast numbers of foreign SIM cards are being smuggled into the country to support scam activities. During one operation, authorities uncovered over 50,000 SIM cards originating from various countries within a single small scam compound, Vandeth said.

He urged every nation to tighten SIM-card registration and to verify identities before issuing the cards.

"No telco anywhere in the world should be allowed to sell anonymous SIM cards," he stated.

Steps Taken by Cambodia

Vandeth outlined a number of actions Cambodia has implemented to stop its telecom infrastructure from being misused by criminal groups.

He said that since 2022, the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) has cracked down on more than 330 illegal base stations, including equipment used to deliver unauthorized telecom services that enable online scams.

The country has also stepped up its work to dismantle the digital networks used by scammers. According to the minister, a dedicated monitoring unit has blocked over 53,000 illegal websites, while partnerships with leading platforms such as Meta, Telegram and Binance have led to the takedown of more than 5,300 accounts, pages and groups tied to scam recruitment, bogus job listings and online fraud.

A Call for Global Cooperation

Vandeth emphasized that domestic measures alone cannot wipe out the problem, since these criminal networks operate internationally.

"Cambodia cannot solve this problem on our own," he said, appealing to governments, regulators, law enforcement bodies, financial institutions, telecom firms and digital platforms to exchange intelligence, bolster identity checks and close the regulatory loopholes exploited by criminals.

"Only coordinated international action can close this gap," he added.