PPATK Reveals Online Gambling Mode Under The Guise Of Export-Import Transactions

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Deputy for Strategy and Cooperation of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) Tuti Wahyuningsih said that the mode used by online gamblers is currently varied, ranging from using money changers through foreign exchange to under the guise of export-import business transactions.

"One of the patterns that PPATK often encounters is the use of themoney changer as a means of money laundering from online gambling," said Tuti as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, August 19.

In this mode, the perpetrators use the business changer service to disguise the origins of the funds obtained from these illegal activities.

"The perpetrators usually exchange large amounts of money for business reasons, but the money actually comes from online gambling," said Tuti.

In addition to using themoney changer, he continued, online gamblers also use export-import transactions as a cover to disguise illegal funds.

"In this mode, the perpetrators will make fictitious companies or use existing companies to carry out export-import transactions that don't actually happen," said Tuti.

He explained that the funds generated from online gambling were then transferred between countries through the company's account as if it were payment for goods or services imported or exported.

According to him, this mode is increasingly widespread because it provides double benefits for the perpetrators, namely disguising the origin of money while avoiding detection by financial authorities.

"By utilizing fake export-import transactions, online gamblers can transfer large amounts of funds abroad without raising suspicion, because this transaction looks like part of legitimate business activities," said Tuti.

PPATK also found a pattern of using accounts registered on behalf of students or individuals with low income profiles. Online gamblers take advantage of this weakness to make transactions, in the hope that it will not attract attention because it is considered an account with low economic activity.

"They deliberately use accounts registered in the names of individuals with low economic profiles to make large transactions, in the hope that their activities will not be detected by the bank's surveillance system," said Tuti.

In dealing with various patterns of indications of online gambling transactions, PPATK has taken various strategic steps, including increasing the analysis of financial transactions and collaboration with other institutions such as the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and the Police.

He emphasized that cross-sectoral cooperation is very important to eradicate increasingly complex online gambling.

"Collaboration between PPATK and various institutions is the key in fighting online gambling. We continue to strengthen transaction analysis and share information with OJK and the Police to ensure that every step of action is supported by accurate and verified data," said Tuti.