PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s reputation has been damaged by the scam industry in the country and it should have acted sooner to regulate cryptocurrencies, the central bank governor told AFP on Friday (Nov 13).

The South-East Asian country has become a hub for transnational organised criminal groups running online romance and investment scams that defraud victims around the world of billions of dollars annually, researchers and law enforcement agencies say.

Under pressure from foreign governments to combat the illicit industry, Cambodia has touted a crackdown on large-scale scam centres, which campaigners say were allowed to thrive for years.

“With the experiences…