Slavery, torture, human trafficking discovered at 53 Cambodian online scamming compunds | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Slavery, torture, human trafficking discovered at 53 Cambodian online scamming compunds\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pig butchering scams were the most common activity carried out at the facilities identified in the Amnesty International investigation.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta 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ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.9180327868852\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.633986928105\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.269230769231\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Pig butchering scams were the most common activity carried out at the facilities identified in the Amnesty International investigation. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/85012\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Soldiers sweep the compound of Central One, an alleged scam hub masquerading as a call center company, on Oct. 31, 2024 in Bagac, Bataan province, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"25.809222423146\"><body readability=\"53.26050769871\"><\/p>\n<p>An Amnesty International investigation uncovered 53 scamming compounds in Cambodia where people, including children and human trafficking victims, were forced to work and tortured or threatened with violence if they didn\u2019t comply.<\/p>\n<p>Those forced into criminal activity in the compounds by gangs carried out <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/pig-butchering\/\">\u201cpig butchering\u201d<\/a> schemes and other online scams, such as using fraudulent websites to steal information or sell products that weren\u2019t delivered, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/latest\/news\/2025\/06\/cambodia-government-allows-slavery-torture-flourish-inside-scamming-compounds\/\">the Amnesty report released<\/a> Thursday that drew on interviews with hundreds of ex-workers revealed.<\/p>\n<p>The Cambodian government is complicit, Amnesty argued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Cambodian authorities know what is going on inside scamming compounds, yet they allow it to continue,\u201d said Montse Ferrer, regional research director for Amnesty International. \u201cOur findings reveal a pattern of state failures that have allowed criminality to flourish and raises questions about the government\u2019s motivations.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The report adds understanding to the extent of scam compounds most often found in Southeast Asia. Pig butchering scams, which involve building up trust with victims before luring them into handing over money on false pretenses, have cost U.S. victims billions of dollars in losses in recent years.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the report\u2019s findings, the Cambodian government told Amnesty that it has \u201ctaken drastic measures to strengthen national process[es] to counter the online scams, online gambling and human trafficking with significant results,\u201d including crackdowns on 28 locations.<\/p>\n<p>But Amnesty said it found that even when police or the military intervened, human rights abuses continued at the locations, nor did the government adequately investigate other locations or take effective steps to combat human trafficking. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sustainability\/society-equity\/amnesty-says-cambodia-is-enabling-brutal-scam-industry-2025-06-26\/\">A spokesman<\/a> for the Cambodian government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20250626-mass-scale-abuses-in-cambodia-scam-centres-amnesty\">told media outlets<\/a> that the report\u2019s conclusions were \u201cexaggerated\u201d and that Cambodia was a victim itself in need of help rather than blame.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the 53 confirmed compounds, Amnesty identified 43 more suspected compounds. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCambodia\u2019s authorities must ensure no more jobseekers are trafficked into the country to face torture, slavery or any other human rights abuse,\u201d Ferrer said. \u201cThey must urgently investigate and shut down all scamming compounds and properly identify, assist and protect victims. Slavery thrives when governments look away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":7764,"date":"2025-06-27T14:45:41","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T19:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=85012"},"modified":"2025-06-27T14:45:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T19:45:41","slug":"slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/06\/27\/slavery-torture-human-trafficking-discovered-at-53-cambodian-online-scamming-compunds\/","title":{"rendered":"Slavery, torture, human trafficking discovered at 53 Cambodian online scamming compunds"},"content":{"rendered":"