Cambodia | Formula milk scamKate Pitfield | 25 Jun 2015

This happened to us on several occasions in Siem Reap, wasn't aware of the scam the first time. A girl came up to us and said she didn't want money she just wanted milk. I felt bad and wanted to see the good in the situation so she told us into heuy minimart near pub street. She told us a very specific type of formula to buy which was about 25 dollars. When we returned outside I realised the baby looked very docile there is speculation of them drugging the babies and the milk bottle has never been used. We went into the shop to discuss it and didn't feel right so tried to remove ourselves from the situation. The girl pinched and scratched my arm as I walked away and got very angry. 

I researched it when I got back to find that the babies are rented and hired, children kept on streets to walk and not go to school, the formula is returned and the money is split between the minimart and the Mafia type organisation the child works for. 

Didn't come across it but apparently there is a similar scam with rice, being told it is for an orphanage and taken somewhere very expensive to buy it. Money split between vendor and person scamming.