WhatsApp Scam Targets BRILink Agent in Banyuwangi, Indonesia

A fraudster used a hacked WhatsApp account to deceive a BRILink kiosk attendant in Tulungrejo village, Banyuwangi, East Java, causing a loss of roughly Rp 19 million. The perpetrator pretended to make a cash‑withdrawal transfer, obtained an alternative bank account number, and then, after borrowing the victim’s phone, sent a counterfeit WhatsApp confirmation that the money had been transferred. The kiosk staff handed over the cash before the scam was uncovered. Police are reviewing CCTV footage and investigating the hacker’s identity.

Separately, security experts warned that new WhatsApp‑based scams in Indonesia increasingly employ fake APK files, screen‑sharing tricks, phishing links and even zero‑click exploits to steal OTPs, PINs and banking credentials. Authorities stress that banks never send APKs via SMS and advise users to keep apps updated, disable installations from unknown sources, enable two‑step verification and limit transaction amounts.

Both reports highlight the growing use of social‑engineering techniques that combine compromised messaging apps with m‑banking fraud, prompting police and regulators to urge greater vigilance among small‑business owners and the general public.