Earlier this year, authorities found something extraordinary inside a Cambodian scam compound: a fake Australian Federal Police office.

There were Australian flags, AFP-style logos, and desks staged to look official – all part of a six-storey compound used by scammers impersonating police forces from around the world.

It was a reminder that the scam messages Australians receive are often connected to a far more sophisticated and exploitative criminal industry.

New figures show Australians reported more than $2 billion in scam losses last year, and a recent UN report has detailed how people are trafficked into scam centres, held against their will, and forced to target strangers online.

In early 2024, Ben and his wife were kidnapped and trapped inside one of these Cambodian scam factories. This is the story of how they escaped – and why so many others can’t.

This episode was originally published in March 2025.

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Guest: Ben Yeo, ambassador for the Australian International Counter Slavery Alliance (AICSA)

Photo: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

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