2 Pertamina Catut Job Vacancies Fraud Arrested By South Sulawesi Police

The Director of Special Criminal Investigation and Investigation (Reskrimsus) of the South Sulawesi Police, Kombes Helmi Kwarta (center) at the South Sulawesi Police Headquarters, Makassar, Thursday (8/6/2023). ANTARA/Darwin Fatir.

The Cyber Crime Team of the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Sulawesi Regional Police managed to dismantle the mode of online job vacancies fraud and arrested two people after using the name of PT Pertamina as a employer.

"Two perpetrators have been named as suspects, the initials are SL and AP who still have a family relationship. SL is the wife and AP is the husband. The proceeds of the wealth (infiltration) are used by both of them," said South Sulawesi Police Criminal Investigation Director Kombes Helmi Kwarta as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 8.

The two perpetrators were arrested in Pinrang Regency, South Sulawesi, within 30 hours of reporting. Five newly identified victims with financial losses reached tens of millions of rupiah.

The disclosure of this case began when Pertamina reported that fraud on behalf of the state-owned company opened job vacancies online on social media, which turned out to be fake.

The modus operandi used by the suspect, said Helmi, was to use Pertamina's name by offering a job through social media. After a potential victim enters and submits an application, he is asked to fill in the link that has been prepared by the perpetrator.

From the link, the perpetrators identified the victims, including cell phone numbers. After that, the suspects contacted the victim via WhatsApp (WA).

"They (victims) were contacted through WA about the invitation to follow up on the registration that was intended that they were accepted as Pertamina employees. It was conveyed through WA," he said.

It did not stop there, the perpetrators also conveyed to the victims that they were not placed in the area now, but placed in Pertamina in other regions. That way, these actors need transportation and lodging costs as management.

"That's what is expected. Then the suspect entered evidence of sending plane tickets as if this was official. Transportation was indeed legal to be carried out and sent to the victim so that the victim sent transportation money with lodging," said Kombes Helmi.

According to Helmi, the case has fulfilled the elements as referred to in Article 45 paragraph 1 and Article 28 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, namely that everyone spreads a lie and misleads and harms consumers. So, what is meant by the lies makes a summons regarding the victim's passing.

"That is an excuse for lies so that he (the suspect) conveyed a lie. Second, that this note was used to the destination because what was promoted by the brother was not placed in the place now, but elsewhere. The evidence was confiscated, two cellphones and two laptops were used by the suspect," he said.