Singapore firm run by Chinese nationals accused of telling jobseekers to train at scam-linked Cambodian resort

The Singapore Police Force is investigating a Singapore-based technology firm, Changting Network Technology, after several job applicants alleged that they were asked to travel to Cambodia for training at a resort linked to international online scam operations.

According to The Straits Times report on 8 October 2025, the police confirmed that investigations are ongoing into the company’s activities following online complaints from jobseekers.

The firm had advertised various positions for roles purportedly based in Singapore, but later instructed successful applicants to attend a month-long training at Koh Kong Resort in Cambodia.

Koh Kong Resort has been sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department since September 2024 for its association with Cambodian businessman Ly Yong Phat.

The businessman was blacklisted for serious human rights abuses involving trafficked workers forced into online scam operations.

Both Ly and the resort appear on the Treasury Department’s list of specially designated nationals, meaning their assets in the US are frozen and they are barred from financial transactions with any US entity.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has also cited the resort in a report highlighting the rise of cyber-fraud and illegal gambling hubs operating along Cambodia’s coastal province of Koh Kong.

The report warned that legitimate-looking tourism and business operations have been used to conceal online scam centres.

Alleged deceptive recruitment practices

Changting Network Technology, incorporated in Singapore on 8 April 2019, presents itself as a technology company specialising in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and app development.

The firm’s website lists an address at Singapore Land Tower, though business records indicate its registered office is actually in Paya Lebar Square.

In September 2025, an online post on Reddit by a purported applicant drew public attention to the firm’s unusual hiring practices.

The individual said they had been offered a role as a customer service executive and were told only after accepting the position that they would be required to undergo one month of training in Cambodia at Koh Kong Resort.

Hired by a Singapore company but training held in Cambodia
byu/Middle_Front_5242 insingaporejobs

According to the post, the company had initially stated that the applicant would report to Singapore for onboarding.

The sudden requirement to relocate to Cambodia raised alarms among social media users, who noted that Koh Kong Resort had been publicly identified by the US Treasury and the UNODC for its connection to scam-related activities.

Fellow users questioned why a legitimate Singapore-registered company would operate from expensive commercial premises while seemingly outsourcing staff to a Cambodian resort with a controversial history.

Undercover verification by journalists

Reporters from The Straits Times conducted a sting operation by posing as foreign and local jobseekers to verify the claims.

In one case, a journalist using a fake resume applied for a senior customer service executive position and was interviewed in Mandarin. Within an hour, they were offered the role with a promised salary of S$5,000 per month.

However, the offer letter later provided quoted a lower salary of US$2,800 (S$3,628) and mentioned a mandatory three-month training period in Cambodia. The address given for the training matched that of Koh Kong Resort.

In a follow-up interview on 17 September, another individual identifying himself only as a supervisor told the journalist that the role would require permanent relocation to Cambodia.

The monthly pay was reduced to S$3,000, but food and accommodation — including a shared room with five others — were promised.

The company’s representatives also pressed the applicant to submit passport details quickly to facilitate flight bookings. The journalist declined to proceed.

Another foreign applicant recounted a similar experience after applying for a customer service position, saying they too had been told of compulsory training at Koh Kong Resort. Neither of the individuals ultimately signed their contracts.

Links to Chinese entities

Separately, Mothership reported on a screenshot of a job offer letter signed by ChangTing’s HR manager, LitChi Cai.

A LinkedIn profile under the Chinese name 蔡力淄 lists the same position.

Further checks by The Online Citizen (TOC) on China’s business registry platform, QiZhiDao.com, revealed that an individual with the same name is listed as the legal representative of two companies in Xiamen — Xiamen Yile Internet Technology Co., Ltd. (厦门伊了互联网科技有限公司) and Xiamen Interactive Power Technology Co., Ltd. (厦门互动力量科技有限公司).

It remains unclear whether these companies are directly connected to the Singapore entity, though investigators noted that ChangTing’s director is a Chinese national while its corporate secretary is Singaporean.

Dubious online presence

Changting’s website was only created on 24 July 2025, months before the controversy surfaced.

Despite listing its address at the prestigious Singapore Land Tower, the company’s official business records place it in Paya Lebar Square.

A visit to the listed premises showed the company’s name and logo displayed beside its office door. However, staff from neighbouring offices told The Straits Times that the office appeared largely unoccupied.

Attempts to contact the company were unsuccessful. The landline number on its website was inactive, while the mobile number listed on its LinkedIn page was found to belong to a private security firm.

According to ST, the firm said the number was used only for CCTV network connectivity, and its WhatsApp display image had been misused by Changting.

Even the email address provided on Changting’s website was invalid, with messages bouncing back due to a missing domain.

Additional job listings

Earlier, in August 2025, Changting Network Technology had advertised a position for a digital advertising manager on the MyCareersFuture job portal.

The role, which offered between S$6,000 and S$10,000 per month, attracted at least 15 applicants before the listing closed on 17 September.

The Singapore Police Force confirmed that it is looking into the matter involving Changting Network Technology.

The case has raised concerns over the potential use of Singapore-registered entities as fronts for illicit overseas operations, including forced labour and cyber-fraud.

Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution when responding to online job listings that promise high pay or overseas training opportunities. 

Members of the public uncertain about the authenticity of job offers can contact the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 for assistance or report suspicious activities through the ScamAlert portal.

As of now, Changting Network Technology remains an active business according to Acra records.