An American's journey in Cambodia's scam industry
Hi my name is Alex (pseudonym). I was born in Westfield Massachusetts in America in 1985 from Khmer parents. I completed a one year certificate for machine tools technology (CNC machining) . I lived with my mother, aunt, uncle and cousins. In 2021 I decided to go to Cambodia to divorce a girl that I was going to sponsor to America. When I arrived in Cambodia, I didn’t want to go back. I didn’t want to go back because I didn’t like my family, so I left without telling anyone. Just packed my suitcase and left. I decided to trade in my return ticket and get a place and job. That’s when I started this “journey”
First scamming job in Sihanouk
I searched and searched for jobs until I found a decent paying job online. It was for customer service. There were 3 of us, an English guy, a Filipino lady & I. The recruiting agency had us stay at a guest house on the riverside. We met up with Chinese bosses that wanted to test our English. After that we went to stay at a guesthouse on the Olympic market. The recruiter explained that it was a scammer job. It was basically a group decision. If they were ok with it I was ok with it. So we all decided to go. When we got there. It was an office job. Working behind a computer all day. Meals were brought to the office. The job consisted of just creating an avatar and a backstory for your character. Our target was men in Singapore. We had to search the internet for pics of who we were to portray. Basically make friends with people off hinge in Singapore. We would make friends with people, tell them a sad story for them to sympathise with us (usually of cheating spouses) then make them fall in love with us. After we would hand the “client” to our team leader (usually a Chinese guy, but in my case my team leader was a Cambodian)
I didn’t want to scam anyone because I believe in karma. I was just there to barely do my job and get my monthly salary which was 800 USD. After a few weeks the English guy got kicked out because he was too demanding and didn’t work much. He came into the work office one day and threatened the boss to have the whole place raided by police. Needless to say he got kicked out on the spot.
After a while there were no new clients topping off and depositing money. They made us come in an hour earlier every day and there were no new top offs. One day after the daily exercises the manager singled me out and said if my performance doesn’t improve, I’m moving to Bavet. I said “you think I care?” He told me to go to my room. The next day I went to work normally. The manager sees me and asks what I’m doing here. He doesn’t want to see my face. So I went back to my room. For like 2 days I was just in my room. On the third day I grabbed my suitcase and tried leaving. The security guards stopped me and told me to wait. I waited about 10 minutes, then I just went for the door. I was tackled by like 5 security guards. One of them punched me in the back. The main security guard said “don’t hit him” but they put me in handcuffs. I said whoever hit me, let’s take off these cuffs and go outside to fight even. They all covered their faces with masks. Mind you this was the end of 2021 when Covid was still a thing. I’m sitting in the lobby in cuffs for like 10 minutes, and the boss comes down. He says they were going to let me go anyways. I rode with the main security guard to get me a car to go back to Phnom Penh. I was in this first place for about 3 months.
Second scamming job in White Sand II,Sihanouk
I was in Phnom Penh for a few days but needed a job badly, so I decided to go to Sihanouk again for another “customer service” job. White sands 2. When I got there, they said the contract was for 1 year, but the ad said 3 months. I felt like I had no other choice. This job was the same principle but we used Facebook and Twitter instead. This place was worse than the first. There were rumours going around that the Chinese team leaders were convicts that instead of going to prison they worked in the complex. There were stories of the Chinese raping the Khmer female workers. I didn’t see it but It almost happened when I was there. They were chilling by the pool getting drunk, then two Chinese had his arm around a girl and were escorting her. This Khmer that got deported from America broke a beer bottle and threatened the guys, causing a raucous.
I stayed there the longest, about 8 months. The Khmers wanted days off for Khmer new year. I stood up for them saying rules can be bent to allow us a few days for Khmer new year. The boss let the Khmers off but because I had an American passport, I wasn’t considered Khmer. I had to stay. I took my phone and left for my room. Later that night the boss told me I could go home but the passport stays there. When I came back I went into work that day, I found out the boss gave them all $100. I told one of my clients I was a scammer. They told me to go to my room. They didn’t want me working there anymore. They sold my contract to another company. I had met up with them to discuss the arrangements and to accept or not.
Third scamming job in Sihanouk
I got to the third place, it was the same principle, but we were texting numbers given to us on WhatsApp and trying to make friends with the target, US citizens. The Chinese team leaders were always playing around with a shock baton. I was there for about two weeks until they sold my contract yet again to another company Jin pei 4 where the salary was 2000 USD but I wasn’t there for a month. They told me I couldn’t do the job right.
Fourth scamming job in Jin Bei 4, Sihanouk
When I got to Jin Bei 4, there was another American there. I was put on his team. The same principle as the last but we were using the American as an avatar. The Chinese had pictures of him with expensive clothes driving expensive cars this time we were scamming females. They had cars from different bosses in there. This place had the worst punishments. One of the Taiwanese team leaders didn’t make his quota, so he got shocked with a shock baton in front of everyone, there were at least 50 workers in that office. Later I found out that he was sending information to the FBI. He was the one that told me the place was gonna get raided, and that I should give him my contact info, if I wanted to get out. Another guy asked to go home because of his sick mother. They said ok, come to find out he was put in a dark room for a few days just for asking. His sister had to bring him food. After a few days they let him go. A few weeks later the police came into my room and took the Americans. We left, I stayed in Sihanouk police station for a few days then the Phnom Penh police station for a few days also. I was in Jin Bei 4 for around 6 months.
Fifth scamming job in Phnom Penh
After about a year back in Phnom Penh I found myself in need of another job. I went to this “customer service” job in Phnom Penh. They said I would try out for work for 2 weeks then take a test. Their process was a little different. They would get numbers from people that were trying to get a job from a recruitment agency. They were to call back and as far as I know they would lure clients that way. I didn’t stay long because after 2 weeks, they sent me home.
Sixth job as a translator in a scamming company in Sihanouk
I got in touch with another place in Sihanouk, where they hired me as a translator. The recent translator job was 1200 USD. They would use Google Translate but the wording wasn’t perfect, and I would correct it. I don’t know what platform they used but it was through a website for Wilbur Clark’s investment academy. They would get clients interested in investing through Facebook ads for their fake website. After about two months I got fired because they put me on a new team. My new team leader didn’t pay me on time so I called the recruiter and complained. The next morning, my team leader told me to pack up my stuff and go home.
Seventh job (current job) in a scamming company in Bavet
I was in Phnom Penh for about a month then got in contact with my landlord’s niece to get a job in Bavet. Dynasty casino. I’m currently working (Oct 2024) there as a scammer but like I said, I’m not trying to scam anyone. I’m just here to barely do my job and get my salary. As I’m writing this I am in Bavet, working the same kind of job. Same principle but using Tinder and other dating apps with a VPN. I am thankful for everyone that has helped me in the past.