Coordinated Scams Uncovered on Meta Platforms in Indonesia

Since its establishment in November 2024, the Indonesia Anti Scam Centre (IASC) has been inundated with reports, receiving over 608,000 from citizens by June 26, 2026. The center has acted decisively, freezing more than 500,000 bank accounts and immobilizing funds amounting to Rp 674 billion. These figures highlight a significant financial vulnerability, with one in four Indonesians reportedly falling victim to scams.

However, these statistics likely represent only a fraction of the true scale of the problem, as many victims may not report their losses. The ongoing prevalence of financial fraud in the digital era underscores the need for increased public awareness and robust protective measures. In response, the Cek Fakta Tempo team has begun investigating coordinated scam operations on Meta's platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

The investigation initially focused on scams impersonating celebrity Nagita Slavina, whose image and videos have been widely misused on Facebook. Researchers identified at least 43 accounts leveraging Slavina's name or her company, Rans Entertainment. Tempo's analysis delves into the manipulative content creation and the methods employed to circumvent social media platforms' automated detection systems. Understanding these tactics is crucial for individuals to enhance their vigilance and avoid becoming victims.

Key tactics identified include impersonating official accounts by subtly altering profile names, using similar but modified spellings, and employing different capitalization or adding numbers and symbols. For instance, fake accounts like 'Raffi.nagita9011' and 'Nagitaraffy4747' were found to mimic the celebrity's identity. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that these fraudulent accounts are often created en masse, with 34 identified accounts created in May and June 2026 alone, suggesting a coordinated effort to maximize reach and impact.