Two kinds of money scams in Cambodia that Cambodian met

Money scams are not only crossing countries but also happening inside the country. Both during and after the pandemic, scammers targeted Cambodians, particularly through social media. 

While there are a variety of scams, this article will focus on two specific examples.

Pen-producing workers

There was an account on social media posting that they needed local people, staying in Phnom Penh and in provinces, to work as pen producers. They stated that they had all the necessary parts for the pens and only required individuals to assemble them. Furthermore, they asserted that individuals could perform this task from their homes. 

Cambodian women, especially housewives, were interested because they needed money to help support their husbands. When they contacted the page, they were instructed to send money first through online platforms (not a bank), with the claim that this was necessary in case they didn’t work or if they sold the pens to obtain cash themselves. The amount depended on how many pens they wanted to work on. After paying, the page sent an address for the people to take the pens, but it was someone else's house. When they tried to contact the page, they were unable to do so because it had blocked them.

This event lasted for a brief period. There were few victims, and because the people spread information through social media immediately, this kind of act stopped quickly.

Job interview

There was a company posting online to seek employees to work in their company in various positions. There were many candidates who applied for it. The company called the candidates for interviews, during which they claimed that the candidates were not qualified and then instructed them to purchase tickets for workshop training, stating that this would help them succeed in future job interviews.

Because Cambodian people have experienced similar situations frequently, we can recognize that the scheme is a scam. Hence, the candidates refused to buy. Then, they began sharing information on social media, and experienced candidates came forward as witnesses, which led to the cessation of the scam. However, Cambodian people were limited to sharing information on social media, as the company's name was concealed due to violations of the platform's policy and there was not solid evidence. But they shared the name of the company with each other in private messages. That company is famous and from a country that is a neighbor of Cambodia. 

As mentioned above, there are many scams; these are just two examples. As a result of these incidents, Cambodian people are petrified of online activities and large, well-known companies. Still, Cambodians may smile; they have absolutely no faith in anyone, neither local people nor foreigners.