# Disrupting a Criminal Scam Operation

_Friday, July 31, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT · AI · Developing · Tier 2 — Notable_

OpenAI disrupted a Cambodia-based scam operation using ChatGPT to support investment, romance, gambling, and law enforcement impersonation schemes.

OpenAI said it began investigating the activity following a lead from peers at WhatsApp and has since shared additional threat signals with industry partners and relevant authorities. The operation used ChatGPT to create fake online personas, generate and translate messages, produce promotional content, and assist with day-to-day operations including administrative work such as drafting internal announcements and translating staff communications.

Some users in the network generated content suggesting links to human trafficking and forced criminality, including creating social-media advertisements for jobs in Poipet and maintaining records of employee debts and disciplinary fines.

## Sources

- [OpenAI](https://openai.com/index/disrupting-malicious-uses-of-ai-criminal-scam-operation)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/56pqRpkUnii1_YDRm1eUIb
Retrieved: 2026-08-01T01:45:51.131Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)