Southeast Asia’s Scam Compound Crisis: A Growing Humanitarian Emergency

Charities and aid workers are urgently calling for international government support for victims of deadly scam compounds across Southeast Asia. A damning report by Amnesty International in January 2026 highlighted an “international crisis” stemming from the growing numbers of survivors left destitute and abandoned in cities like Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

The Scale of the Problem

Hundreds of thousands of people from over 50 countries are estimated to be trapped within vast compounds in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Amnesty International’s research reveals that most individuals are lured to the region with promises of well-paying jobs, only to be trafficked and forced into online scams – often referred to as “catfishing” – by criminal gangs. Refusal to participate can result in severe consequences, including torture, sexual assault, and even death.

A Crisis on Cambodian Soil

Amnesty International’s research identified a growing number of traumatized individuals stranded in Cambodia, lacking passports, money, and basic necessities, characterizing the situation as “an international crisis on Cambodian soil.” The report details harrowing accounts of abuse, including sexual assault by compound bosses, with at least two women becoming pregnant as a result of attacks. Other reported punishments included the chopping off of a man’s finger and a throat being cut.

Insufficient Support and Systemic Failures

Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director, criticized the lack of support from the Cambodian government, stating, “We don’t see the Cambodian state offering victim screening for these individuals or other support that you’d expect in a situation like this: a humanitarian crisis.” She also noted that NGO support is insufficient, particularly following aid funding cuts in the past year.

In Myanmar, those rescued by authorities are often held in inadequate conditions – car parks, military camps, or detention centers – for weeks even as awaiting processing, according to Amy Miller, South-East Asia director of aid agency Acts of Mercy.

Smaller aid groups and local shelters are overwhelmed and underfunded, and larger organizations like the Red Cross are not significantly engaged. Agencies face challenges due to widespread funding cuts and strict operational rules in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Challenges to Providing Aid

Aid organizations are encountering additional obstacles, as the involvement of survivors in cybercrime creates a bias against them. Miller explained, “There is a major bias that’s happening across the sector in general; that most do not see them as victims of human trafficking.” Both Cambodia and Thailand have arrested victims, highlighting a “blind spot in the humanitarian resource category.”

The UN International Organization for Migration has faced difficulties providing accommodation to victims in Cambodia due to visa requirements, raising questions about the role of international institutions in protecting trafficking survivors.

The Need for Comprehensive Action

Without adequate support, victims risk being re-trafficked or facing exploitation in their home countries. Tomoya Obokata, UN special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, believes governments should provide safe houses, medical care, and psychological support before repatriation. He also suggested confiscating the proceeds of the scams to fund frontline groups.

The situation demands cross-government cooperation and a shift in perspective, treating individuals as victims until proven otherwise. Amnesty International has also called on ASEAN member states to prioritize human rights in regional discussions, particularly regarding the deteriorating crisis in Myanmar, which is also a major hub for these scam operations.