Cambodia’s Phnom Penh fraud building surrounded by raids
At 4 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2025, when police bullets surrounded the entire building and controlled the 34-story office area, many talents realized that there was a scam empire covered with “high-tech”.
Among the 80 arrested people involved in the case, 57 are Chinese, in addition to people from Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia. 204 monitors, 128 mainframes and 3 laptops were seized at the scene.
In recent years, Cambodia has become a "heavy disaster zone" for cross-border fraud, which has been caused by the deliberation and even embezzlement of the fraud industry by some local forces to give these criminal gangs the ground to survive.
On the other hand, many young people have been deceived in Cambodia by the pretext of “high-paying jobs” and are forced to engage in fraud. Victims recall that they work 18 hours a day and suffer violence such as electric shock. The means of these fraud groups are also constantly “escalating.”
They are no longer simple phone fraud, but use advanced computer equipment and network technology to carry out precise fraud operations. For example, fake websites and apps are used to trick victims into investing and transferring money. These "high-tech people" in the Morgan Building are engaged in such activities.
China and Cambodia have been stepping up cooperation in combating cross-border fraud in recent years. In July 2025, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manai signed an order to launch a special operation to "eliminate online fraud".
This raid on the Morgan Building was an important part of the special operation. The close cooperation between China and Cambodia has made the living space for these criminal gangs smaller and smaller. However, there is still a long way to go to combat cross-border fraud.
These criminal gangs are very cunning and often change places to "resume their old business". For example, many of the fraud gangs that were previously cracked down in northern Myanmar have moved to Cambodia and other places.
Moreover, the means of fraud are constantly being renewed, from traditional telecommunications fraud to current cyber fraud, virtual currency fraud, and so on.
Many people go abroad with the dream of finding high-paying jobs, but they fall into the quagmire of crime, and even their personal freedom is restricted. This also reminds us that when facing overseas job opportunities, we must be vigilant, get information through formal channels, and don't easily believe in good things like pie in the sky.
China's crackdown on cross-border telecommunications network fraud is also increasing. Relevant laws clearly stipulate that those involved in cross-border fraud will be severely punished according to law.
Even if fraud is carried out abroad, China’s judiciary has jurisdiction as long as it involves Chinese citizens or China’s interests. This storm on the Morgan Building has achieved some results, but it is only a shortcut of fighting cross-border fraud.
To completely eradicate this misery, the international community must work together to strengthen the sharing of intelligence and law enforcement, as well as to cut off the chain of funding and human transportation of fraudulent gangs from the source.
For ordinary people, it is crucial to raise awareness of their own fraud. Be vigilant at all times, do not easily trust strangers' phone, information and network links, and protect their personal information and property. If suspicious situations are found, report the case to the police in a timely manner.
The destruction of the fraud nest at the Morgan Building in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is a successful practice of cooperation between China and Cambodia in combating cross-border fraud. However, we should also realize clearly that combating cross-border fraud is a long-term battle, which requires our continuous efforts to restore a safe and clean environment to society.
At 4 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2025, when police bullets surrounded the entire building and controlled the 34-story office area, many talents realized that there was a scam empire covered with “high-tech”.
Among the 80 arrested people involved in the case, 57 are Chinese, in addition to people from Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia. 204 monitors, 128 mainframes and 3 laptops were seized at the scene.
In recent years, Cambodia has become a "heavy disaster zone" for cross-border fraud, which has been caused by the deliberation and even embezzlement of the fraud industry by some local forces to give these criminal gangs the ground to survive.
On the other hand, many young people have been deceived in Cambodia by the pretext of “high-paying jobs” and are forced to engage in fraud. Victims recall that they work 18 hours a day and suffer violence such as electric shock. The means of these fraud groups are also constantly “escalating.”
They are no longer simple phone fraud, but use advanced computer equipment and network technology to carry out precise fraud operations. For example, fake websites and apps are used to trick victims into investing and transferring money. These "high-tech people" in the Morgan Building are engaged in such activities.
China and Cambodia have been stepping up cooperation in combating cross-border fraud in recent years. In July 2025, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manai signed an order to launch a special operation to "eliminate online fraud".
This raid on the Morgan Building was an important part of the special operation. The close cooperation between China and Cambodia has made the living space for these criminal gangs smaller and smaller. However, there is still a long way to go to combat cross-border fraud.
These criminal gangs are very cunning and often change places to "resume their old business". For example, many of the fraud gangs that were previously cracked down in northern Myanmar have moved to Cambodia and other places.
Moreover, the means of fraud are constantly being renewed, from traditional telecommunications fraud to current cyber fraud, virtual currency fraud, and so on.
Many people go abroad with the dream of finding high-paying jobs, but they fall into the quagmire of crime, and even their personal freedom is restricted. This also reminds us that when facing overseas job opportunities, we must be vigilant, get information through formal channels, and don't easily believe in good things like pie in the sky.
China's crackdown on cross-border telecommunications network fraud is also increasing. Relevant laws clearly stipulate that those involved in cross-border fraud will be severely punished according to law.
Even if fraud is carried out abroad, China’s judiciary has jurisdiction as long as it involves Chinese citizens or China’s interests. This storm on the Morgan Building has achieved some results, but it is only a shortcut of fighting cross-border fraud.
To completely eradicate this misery, the international community must work together to strengthen the sharing of intelligence and law enforcement, as well as to cut off the chain of funding and human transportation of fraudulent gangs from the source.
For ordinary people, it is crucial to raise awareness of their own fraud. Be vigilant at all times, do not easily trust strangers' phone, information and network links, and protect their personal information and property. If suspicious situations are found, report the case to the police in a timely manner.
The destruction of the fraud nest at the Morgan Building in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is a successful practice of cooperation between China and Cambodia in combating cross-border fraud. However, we should also realize clearly that combating cross-border fraud is a long-term battle, which requires our continuous efforts to restore a safe and clean environment to society.