Indonesia pushes cross-sector coordination to combat Rp9.1 trillion online scam losses

The Indonesian government is pushing for strengthened cross-sector coordination to combat increasingly complex online scams. During a focus group discussion in Jakarta, Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision at the Ministry of Communication and Digital, emphasized that a comprehensive approach is required because no single institution can address the issue alone.

Data from the Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre (IASC) via the Financial Services Authority indicates that between November 2024 and December 2025, there were over 411,000 reported fraud cases, resulting in losses of approximately Rp9.1 trillion. Additionally, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance reports that 66% of Indonesians have experienced attempted digital fraud.

The scam chain typically involves four layers: telecommunications access, digital platform impersonation, transactions through banks or payment providers, and money laundering via holding accounts. Sally Marintan Hutapea of Bank Indonesia noted that scams can move across various channels and platforms into the financial system within minutes, necessitating rapid cooperation between agencies and the digital industry.