Survivors of south-east Asia’s cyberscam farms face international crisis

Following a damning Amnesty International report, charities and aid workers are urging urgent international government support for victims of south-east Asia’s cyberscam compounds. The research identified growing numbers of traumatised individuals left destitute and abandoned on the streets of Cambodia and Myanmar, calling the situation “an international crisis on Cambodian soil.” Hundreds of thousands of people from more than 50 countries are estimated to be trapped in vast compounds across Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Many were lured by promises of well‑paying jobs but were trafficked and forced to run online scams and catfish victims; refusal can bring torture, sexual assault or even death. Aid workers warn that humanitarian support is inadequate. Montse Ferrer, Amnesty’s regional research director, said the Cambodian state is not offering victim screening or other expected humanitarian assistance, and NGOs are strained after widespread funding cuts.

Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Philippines, Malaysia, South-east Asia

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