Amnesty International | A detailed investigation reveals how private security companies and individuals linked to Cambodia’s military and police have helped sustain the country’s industrial-scale scam operations.
The comprehensive report, Official Business: Security Companies and Authorities at Scamming Compounds in Cambodia, documents how guards confined trafficked workers, prevented escapes, and in some cases directly participated in torture, sexual violence, and other serious human rights abuses.
Drawing on interviews with 151 survivors and extensive photographic, video, and satellite evidence, Amnesty International uncovered the scale of the security infrastructure supporting these operations. Among their findings:
All 82 scam compounds visited by investigators had security personnel on site.
At least five private security companies provided services to at least 23 identified scam compounds.
Security teams for at least 22 compounds had documented links to serving members of Cambodia’s military or police.
Survivors described armed guards controlling movement, punishing workers who failed to meet scam quotas, and violently suppressing escape attempts.
They didn’t need any razor wire […] there were so many security guards. — Cambodian Scam Compound Survivor
The investigation raises serious concerns about how legitimate businesses and state personnel may have enabled transnational criminal networks. Amnesty International calls for independent investigations, accountability for those responsible, and stronger protections for trafficking survivors.
Read the full report: Official Business: Security Companies and Authorities at Scamming Compounds in Cambodia
At Operation Shamrock, we believe meaningful disruption requires targeting the entire scam ecosystem. That includes the criminal organizations, financial networks, security providers, and corrupt actors that allow these operations to continue.
Stopping scams means dismantling the systems that make them possible.
