TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Gambir Police nab 20 suspects in love scam targeting foreigners

Gambir Police have arrested 20 suspects in connection with an online dating scam that targeted foreigners, mostly women, which they believe are part of a wider operation underpinning a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, January 29, 2025

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Gambir Police nab 20 suspects in love scam targeting foreigners Stock illustration of online scams (Shutterstock/Artur Szczybylo)

P

olice in Gambir, Central Jakarta, have arrested 20 individuals on suspicion of running a romance scam to trick foreign nationals into investing money in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes.

Investigators allege that three Indonesian suspects, identified as INB, AKP and RW, are the leaders of the online fraud, while the 17 others are believed to have been paid monthly to work for them as scammers.

According to Gambir Police chief Comr. Rezeki Respati, the scammers created fake identities on popular dating apps to lure victims into online relationships for the purpose of perpetrating financial fraud.

“The operation’s leaders earned Rp 7 million [US$431.59], while the scammers got Rp 5 million,” Respati said on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.

Police suspect that the 20 members of the operation are part of a scam syndicate headed by a Chinese national identified by their initials AJ, who is the subject of an ongoing manhunt.

All targeted victims so far were foreigners, mostly women “from Vietnam, the Philippines or Thailand”, said Respati.

Morning Brief

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.

Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly, this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues, covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

Police have not ruled out the possibility that the love scam could have also targeted Indonesians, and so are encouraging anyone who believe they may have fallen victim to the group to submit a report to the nearest police station.

The Gambir Police opened an investigation after they noticed certain accounts on dating apps were advertising suspicious investment opportunities. Investigators then tracked the owners of the accounts to an apartment in Tanah Abang where the scammers were operating, Kompas.com reported.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.