Indonesian Embassy Records Surge in Returns of Citizens from Cambodia Online Scam Syndicates

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has reported a sharp increase in the number of Indonesian citizens (WNI) returning home after being ensnared by online scam syndicates over the past week.

In a press release issued on Sunday, the Indonesian mission stated that 462 citizens had returned to the country by purchasing their own tickets, following various forms of assistance provided by the embassy.

The largest single-day return occurred on 22 February 2026, when 131 Indonesians departed Cambodia. Approximately one-third of them had previously been housed in temporary facilities arranged by the embassy in cooperation with Cambodian authorities.

Some of the returnees were issued Emergency Travel Documents (SPLP) as they lacked valid official documentation. Nearly all were also assisted by the embassy in applying for immigration fine waivers from the Cambodian authorities.

In total, from 30 January to 22 February 2026, the embassy facilitated the return of 692 Indonesian citizens. The embassy estimates the actual number of returnees is higher, as some did not report their departure.

Upon arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the returning citizens underwent screening by a joint team including law enforcement officers, to supplement the early assessments previously conducted by the embassy. The screening aims to determine the level of each individual’s involvement in the online scam syndicates.

On 19 February 2026, Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto met with Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Sokha to discuss enhanced cooperation in combating transnational crime, including online fraud networks, and to strengthen protection mechanisms for Indonesian citizens.

Since the surge in cases beginning on 16 January through to 22 February, a total of 4,725 Indonesians have reported directly to the embassy in Phnom Penh. This figure is equivalent to 92 per cent of the total caseload for the whole of 2025 (5,088 citizens), underscoring the sharp escalation at the start of 2026.

The embassy predicts that repatriation requests will continue to rise in the lead-up to Eid al-Fitr, as more emergency travel documents and immigration fine waivers are approved in the coming weeks.