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| An overview of the event (Photo: VNA) |
Phnom Penh (VNA) - Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Minister of Public Security of Vietnam, has proposed that each country establish a coordination task force to verify, investigate, and handle complex transnational scam rings, improving the effectiveness of cooperation among countries.
The proposal was made at the 2026 International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026) held in Phnom Penh on September 23, attended by delegations from 27 countries, six international organisations and around 500 delegates.
Long affirmed that online scams are a global scourge, not a problem for any single country. Combating this type of crime is not only about protecting people's property and lives, but also about safeguarding national security - the foundation for national development - and ensuring safety in cyberspace.
According to the Deputy Minister, Vietnam is implementing a comprehensive range of measures to contain and roll back online scam-related crime.
He called on countries to focus on three key directions: sharing experience and effective prevention models, improving legal frameworks and strengthening cybersecurity, and establishing rapid and continuous coordination mechanisms among competent authorities.
In particular, Vietnam proposed that each country establish a specialised coordination task force to verify, investigate and handle complex transnational scam rings and cases, ensuring the rapid and effective exchange of information and coordination of investigations.
Long also called on countries to complete procedures for ratifying the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, known as the Hanoi Convention, while affirming that Vietnam stands ready to cooperate with countries, international and regional organisations, and the private sector to build a safe and healthy cyberspace.
For the host country, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet affirmed that Cambodia will not become a “safe haven” for online scam operations and pledged to pursue a zero-tolerance policy, focusing on dismantling criminal networks and preventing their resurgence.
Noting that scam networks have evolved into complex transnational criminal ecosystems, PM Hun Manet proposed strengthening rapid-response communication channels among law enforcement agencies, sharing information in real time, coordinating efforts to trace illicit funds and freeze assets, and stepping up cooperation with banks, telecom operators, technology platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges. He also stressed the need to protect victims and support their safe repatriation.
Delphine Schantz, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, praised Cambodia's efforts thus far but said stronger action was needed at the national, regional and international levels. She noted that losses from scams in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand currently amount to around 114 billion USD annually and continue to rise.
Schantz called on countries to deepen their shared understanding of scam crime trends, strengthen law enforcement capacity and information sharing, and promote greater private-sector involvement, particularly by fintech companies and social media platforms, in preventing and tracing illicit financial flows.
ICCOS-2026 focuses on discussing responses to online scams at the regional and global levels, the role of technology in crime prevention, strengthening cyber resilience, and promoting international cooperation in the fight against this type of transnational crime./.
