Alert Issued Over Fake InaEEWS Telegram Accounts, BMKG Explains
The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has urged the public to be cautious of Telegram groups, channels, and accounts illegally impersonating Indonesia’s Earthquake Early Warning System (InaEEWS) BMKG. These unauthorised accounts fraudulently use BMKG’s name, logo, and visual attributes to disseminate earthquake early warning information that cannot be verified as accurate.
According to BMKG’s official website, Nelly Florida Riama, BMKG’s Deputy Head of Geophysics, confirmed that BMKG as an institution has never issued earthquake early warning information with the parameters circulating in those channels. Currently, the InaEEWS system is not yet officially operational and remains in the development and limited testing phase.
“The InaEEWS system is still in development and limited testing phases, and has not been officially launched to the general public in Indonesia,” said Nelly in Jakarta on Friday (27 February).
Beware of False Information
BMKG has identified that the Telegram accounts deliberately mimic InaEEWS and BMKG’s identity and visual attributes. Through this platform, certain parties are fabricating information to illegally build public trust.
Fachri Radjab, Acting Director of Engineering Seismology, Potential Geophysics, and Time Standards, explained that the illegal accounts deliberately disseminate fake earthquake early warning parameters under BMKG’s name, risking mass public panic. Additionally, these individuals are misusing real-time InaEEWS data by taking and illegally redistributing early warning information without authorisation from BMKG.
“BMKG confirms that all early warning information on those Telegram channels is disinformation. The institution formally states that accounts impersonating InaEEWS BMKG are fake profiles and not government information channels,” he said.
InaEEWS Does Not Partner with Any Third Parties
To date, InaEEWS has never entered into partnerships with any parties in disseminating earthquake early warning information. Additionally, the institution formally assures that it has never charged fees or operated a paid early warning service, so the public should disregard any requests for payments in any form.
“The actions of individuals managing this illegal account not only damage BMKG’s credibility as Indonesia’s sole official government institution with authority in this matter, but also endanger public safety through false information,” he stressed.
To obtain accurate and official earthquake information, BMKG urges the public to access only BMKG’s official channels through the InfoBMKG application, verified social media pages, or the official website https://www.bmkg.go.id/.