Cambodian Fraud Worker Status Changes to Perpetrator
Thirteen residents of the Riau Islands visited the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI) in the Riau Islands after experiencing problems while in Cambodia. They were previously detained in the country following a change in the Indonesian government’s policy regarding citizens working in the online gambling and online scam sectors.
The Head of BP3MI in the Riau Islands, Senior Commissioner Imam Riyadi, stated that the government no longer categorizes workers in these illegal sectors as victims. They are considered to have departed abroad knowingly, thus changing their status to perpetrators.
“The government now categorizes them as perpetrators, not victims, because they are considered to have known the type of work they would be doing before leaving,” Imam said on Friday (July 11, 2026).
According to Imam, the policy change was implemented after the Cambodian government conducted a large-scale operation against online gambling and scam centers since the end of last year. This situation has impacted the repatriation mechanism for Indonesian citizens, which had previously been facilitated by the government.
As a result of this change in status, the Indonesian government no longer covers the costs of the workers’ repatriation. They are required to finance their own travel home, while the accommodation capacity at the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) is also limited.
“With the current policy, Indonesian citizens working in illegal sectors must arrange their own repatriation,” he said.
The BP3MI Kepri has also increased supervision at several international departure points, particularly in Batam and Tanjungpinang, to prevent the practice of sending workers illegally abroad.
In addition to monitoring, the agency provides guidance to citizens who have returned to Indonesia to prevent them from being tempted by job offers with the lure of high salaries that could lead to online gambling or online fraud abroad.
Imam urged the public to ensure the legality of companies and the type of employment before accepting job offers abroad, and to use official channels to avoid legal issues and exploitation.
