Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Records 6,800 Indonesian Citizens Involved In Online Fraud Cases

A total of 46 Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) suspected of being victims of the crime of trafficking in persons (TPPO) in Myawaddy, Myanmar have been returned to Indonesia. ANTARA/Azmi Samsul Maarif

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) noted that 6,800 Indonesian citizens (WNI) were involved in online technology-based fraud cases in 10 countries, including Myanmar.

Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) Judha Nugraha said the data was recorded from 2020 to 2025.

"As of February 2025, there have been 6,800 cases of Indonesian citizens having problems because of online scams since 2020. Most likely the numbers are still increasing," he said in Tangerang, Antara, Friday, February 21.

Judha said the thousands of cases were recorded in 10 countries with the majority in Cambodia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.

The majority of the online scam cases involving Indonesian citizens are indicated to be criminal acts of trafficking in persons (TPPO).

Therefore, his party appealed to the public not to be easily lulled by job vacancies by promising high salaries, but not having special qualifications, leaving without work visas, without work contracts, and finally having problems.

However, a number of Indonesian citizens who are migrant workers are not victims of TIP, his party ensures that the Government through representatives or Indonesian embassies abroad will provide assistance to Indonesian citizens in accordance with the cases they face.

In this case, the Indonesian government is also working to repatriate 270 Indonesian citizens suspected of being involved as workers or online gamblers (judol) in Myanmar.

"There are still 270 Indonesian citizens in Myawaddy, Myanmar whose repatriation is being sought. So, keep in mind that those involved in the judol (online scammer) are not only victims, but also as perpetrators," he explained.

Of the number of Indonesian citizens, according to him, it is known that some of them are not only victims, but not a few are perpetrators of online gambling and the crime of trafficking in persons (TPPO).

Yudha also revealed that there are those who have worked for 2.5 years in the online gambling sector. This was done in the countries of the Philippines, Laos, and finally to Myawaddy, Myanmar.

"There are also those who have been offered jobs since they were in Indonesia, most of them are offered jobs in Thailand, then when they arrive in Thailand they are dispatched to Myawaddy City via Maiso," he said.

In the near future, his party will evacuate 92 Indonesian citizens suspected of being victims of TIP in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

"There are 92 Indonesian citizens in the process of returning to Indonesia," he said.