US Supports ASEAN in Combating Online Scams

Jakarta - United States Ambassador to ASEAN Kevin Kim has stated that the US will continue to provide law enforcement support and capacity building for ASEAN in dealing with online scams. “The real key is what kind of law enforcement activities and capacity building the US can provide,” Kim said during a media meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to him, this support is carried out by the US through US-ASEAN cooperation and other government initiatives to ensure the ASEAN region has the capacity to combat online scams. He also mentioned that eradicating online scams is one of the pillars of the peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia mediated by US President Donald Trump. “This is one of the main pillars the President pushed in the peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, because he understands that online scams receive serious attention and impact American citizens,” the US Ambassador said. Furthermore, Kim conveyed that the US believes stopping and tackling online scams must become a shared norm and principle with ASEAN, as online scams have 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 one important issue he raised because he knew it is an issue that touches millions of people in Southeast Asia,” Kim said. In June 2026, the Central Java Regional Police named 11 suspects in a case involving an online scam syndicate operating under the guise of romance and investment fraud in Sukoharjo Regency, targeting US citizens. “The total number of suspects is 39 people. Seven are Nepalese nationals, four are Myanmar nationals, and the rest are Indonesian citizens,” said Central Java Police Director of Cyber Crime, Senior Commissioner Himawan Sutanto Saragih, in Semarang (1/6). He stated the number of victims who had fallen into the syndicate’s trap reached 133 people, and during the period from July 2025 to May 2026, the syndicate was recorded as having pocketed profits of up to IDR 41.1 billion. Meanwhile, on 3 July, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh recorded that throughout January to June 2026, a total of 12,019 Indonesian citizens formerly part of online scam networks in Cambodia had reported themselves and applied for repatriation facilities to Indonesia.