RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Financial Services Authority (OJK), through the Indonesia Anti-Scam Center (IASC), has returned IDR 161 billion (USD 9.51 million) to 1,070 victims of fraud. The disbursement underscores the government’s commitment to tackling increasingly sophisticated scams.

Friderica Widyasari Dewi, OJK’s Executive Director for Supervision of Financial Services Industry Conduct, Education, and Consumer Protection, said collective action is essential in combating fraud. “This is a tangible symbol of the government’s presence to protect the public from crimes that are becoming increasingly complex, innovative, and cross-border,” she said in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

She explained that scams continue to evolve globally, targeting both the well-educated and the less educated.

Victims have included those deceived by love scams, online transaction fraud, and stolen retirement funds. Scammers often manipulate victims psychologically to make them willingly transfer money, while also stealing passwords or one-time codes (OTP).

Friderica noted that collaboration between IASC, Bank Indonesia, ministries, the National Police, telecommunications associations, banking associations, and other stakeholders has helped reduce fraud.

Between November 22, 2024, and January 14, 2026, IASC received 432,637 reports. It blocked 397,028 accounts linked to losses amounting to IDR 9.1 trillion. Of the blocked funds, IDR 436.88 billion was secured, including IDR 161 billion returned to victims.

“Alhamdulillah, the funds successfully blocked exceeded IDR 400 billion. However, today we are handing over IDR 161 billion to the victims,” Friderica said.

IASC identified five of the most common scams in Indonesia: shopping transaction fraud (73,743 reports), investment fraud (26,365 reports), impersonation or fake calls (44,446 reports), employment fraud (23,469 reports), and social media fraud (19,983 reports).

West Java recorded the highest number of scam reports at 88,943, followed by DKI Jakarta with 66,408, East Java with 60,533, Central Java with 48,231, and Banten with 30,539.

Friderica highlighted several challenges in handling scams, including the surge in complaints, which reached about 1,000 reports per day, three to four times higher than in other countries.

She added that 80 percent of complaints were submitted more than 12 hours after the fraud occurred, while transfers of victims’ funds often took less than an hour.

She emphasized the need to accelerate blocking processes, address the complex transfer of funds into various assets such as banks, virtual accounts, e-wallets, cryptocurrency, gold, e-commerce, and other digital financial instruments, and optimize recovery through indemnity letters and police reports.

“Perhaps today is a real example of how small steps, like lighting a candle in the darkness, can show that the government and financial service providers are present to help victims of scams,” Friderica said. ***