US Supports ASEAN in Combating Online Scams
The real key lies in the types of law enforcement activities and capacity-building measures that the United States can provide.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - United States Ambassador to ASEAN, Kevin Kim, stated that the US will continue to provide law enforcement support and capacity-building assistance to ASEAN in facing online scams.
“The real key is the type of law enforcement activities and capacity building that the United States can provide,” Kim said during a media meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday.
According to him, this support is being conducted through US-ASEAN cooperation and other government initiatives to ensure that the ASEAN region possesses the capacity to combat online fraud.
He also mentioned that the eradication of online scams has become one of the pillars in the peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which was mediated by US President Donald Trump.
“This is one of the main pillars driven by the President in the peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, as he understands that online scams receive serious attention and impact American citizens,” the US Ambassador said.
Furthermore, Kim conveyed that the US believes the cessation and mitigation of online scams must become a shared norm and principle with ASEAN, as online fraud has impacted millions of people in Southeast Asia and various parts of the world.
“When Secretary of State Rubio travelled to Kuala Lumpur last year for the foreign ministers’ meeting, this was a key issue he raised because he knows that this is an issue affecting millions of people in Southeast Asia,” said Kim.
In June 2026, the Central Java Regional Police identified 11 foreign nationals as suspects in an online scam syndicate involving romance and investment fraud operating in Sukoharjo Regency, targeting US citizens.
“A total of 39 suspects. Seven Nepalese nationals, four Myanmar nationals, and the remainder are Indonesian citizens,” said the Director of Cyber Crime of the Central Java Regional Police, Kombes Pol. Himawan Sutermanto Saragih, in Semarang.
He stated that the number of victims trapped by the syndicate reached 133 people, and between July 2025 and May 2026, the syndicate was recorded to have amassed profits of up to Rp41.1 billion.
Meanwhile, on 3 July, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh noted that between January and June 2026, 12,019 Indonesian citizens formerly involved in online scam networks in Cambodia had reported and requested repatriation facilities to Indonesia.