Speaking at the International Conference on the Global Partnership Against Online Scams in Bangkok on December 17, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan pointed out that online scams are a borderless crime that requires coordinated international efforts based on solidarity and mutual trust.

He cited statistics, saying in the first nine months of 2025, Vietnam recorded around 3,000 online scam cases, resulting in losses of approximately US$120 million and accounting for 86% of total criminal cases nationwide.

Efforts to combat cybercrime must adhere to fundamental principles of international law, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes, said the diplomat.

He urged countries to continue signing and ratifying the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), and highlighted the importance of timely and effective sharing of information and electronic evidence as a key factor in preventing and addressing online scam crimes.

The two-day conference, co-hosted by the Royal Thai Government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has brought together leaders and representatives from 58 countries and numerous international organisations to discuss solutions to online scam crimes - a transnational threat closely linked to human trafficking, forced labour and money laundering.

Opening the conference, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Thailand has seized more than US$300 million in assets linked to online scams and assisted over 10,000 victims from more than 40 countries.

In his view, online scams are no longer small-scale crimes. They are industrialised, transnational operations that cause severe harm to people, livelihoods and economies. He stressed that no country can address the challenge alone and that a global cooperation platform is essential for information sharing and coordinated action.

In a message to the conference, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that online scams cause tens of billions of dollars in losses annually worldwide and called on countries to swiftly sign and implement the newly adopted UN Convention against Cybercrime.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described online scam operations as a new form of modern slavery and human trafficking, urging stronger victim protection and the prevention of forced repatriation. Meanwhile, UNODC Regional Representative Delphine Schantz said online scams have become a major revenue source for organised crime groups in Southeast Asia. She added that outcomes of the conference would be presented at the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna, Austria, in March 2026.

The conference is expected to adopt a joint declaration, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening international cooperation toward a safer and more sustainable digital environment.

UNODC-Vietnam cooperation marks milestone at historic Convention signing

VOV.VN - Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna (Austria) recently held a farewell meeting with Ghada Waly as she concluded her tenure as Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the UN Office in Vienna.