1.726 Indonesian Citizens Report to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh After Leaving the Scam Center, Ambassador Santo: Not All New Recruits

Ambassador Santo while listening to the aspirations of Indonesian citizens who came to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh. (Source: KBRI Phnom Penh)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, Santo Darmosumarto, has confirmed that many Indonesian citizens (WNI) who reported to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh after leaving online fraud centers (scam centers), not all of them are new recruits, even some have come to Cambodia three times.

Speaking in an online press statement from Cambodia held by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Ambassador Santo revealed that around 1,726 Indonesian citizens had visited the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh between January 16 and January 21 evening, after leaving online scam centers (online scam) in a number of areas in Cambodia, along with law enforcement by local authorities to combat online scams.

Ambassador Santo explained that the Cambodian government has increased its efforts to combat online scams in recent years. The eradication efforts have been intensified since January 16.

"Recently, there have been arrests of several masterminds and main managers of scam centers," said Ambassador Santo, Thursday (22/1).

With the arrest, many scam centers closed down their operations and foreign nationals working at these places were allowed to leave.

"Many are looking for mechanisms to return to their country, including Indonesian citizens," explained Ambassador Santo.

"This is massive, not just Indonesia. There are (workers from scam centers) from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Pakistan, India, even from Japan, South Korea, to unpredictable countries like Turkey," he said.

The ambassador said that this scam center is located in Phnom Penh, around Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Kampot to Mondulkiri which is closer to Vietnam.

The Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia estimates that there will still be Indonesian citizens who come to report. This Thursday, until noon local time, there have been 120 Indonesian citizens who have reported. Ambassador Santo ensures that the surge in Indonesian citizens who report is not a new recruit, in fact, some have repeatedly come to Cambodia.

"This is not because of new recruits, but those who have been there, they were raided in terms of it. That's why there are many. Some are new in Cambodia for a month, some have been there for three months, some for a year, two years, three years. Some have just come to Cambodia, some have come twice and this morning, some have come to Cambodia three times," said the Indonesian Ambassador.

It is known that the wave of arrival of Indonesian citizens related to the enforcement of Cambodian authorities against online scams to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh on January 16 recorded the highest number of 520 people on January 19. On January 20 there were 344 Indonesian citizens and on January 21 there were 269 Indonesian citizens.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh revealed that this figure is quite fantastic, compared to the 5,006 cases of Indonesian citizens handled by the Indonesian Embassy throughout 2025.

"Protection of Indonesian citizens remains a priority for the Indonesian Government and the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh. Whoever, whatever their status, Indonesian citizens will be given protection and can return home," said Ambassador Santo.