RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Spam messaging and online scams have increasingly evolved into a cybercrime industry, Indonesian Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria said.

Nezar made the remarks during a press conference on the update of Indosat’s anti-spam and anti-scam features in Jakarta on Friday, February 6, 2026.

He said cybercrime perpetrators generate substantial profits from such activities. “I think spam and scams can now be described as having transformed into a cybercrime industry. They earn more than USD 500 million,” Nezar said, citing internal reports from cellular operators.

Nezar stressed that the government would not allow these criminal activities to continue to expand, warning that unchecked cybercrime could negatively impact the public economy.

He said preventing cybercrime requires collective action from all stakeholders. One measure the government has taken is implementing facial recognition technology.

The requirement is stipulated in the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Regulation No. 7/2026, which mandates that cellular operators implement biometric systems. 

According to Nezar, the system is expected to close loopholes in cellular number registration that cybercriminals can exploit.

“This figure is very significant and shows the real economic impact of these protection efforts. We need the active role of all stakeholders, especially from the private sector, namely cellular operators,” Nezar said. ​(Gusti Panji/Lasti Martina)