Bareskrim uncovers BEC manipulation case with US company as victim

A US citizen who owns a company called IQ Power Tools based in America had their data manipulated, according to reports from the FBI and PPATK.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Directorate of Cyber Crime (Dittipidsiber) of Bareskrim Polri has successfully uncovered an alleged manipulation case through Business Email Compromise (BEC) with a company in the United States as the victim.

Sub-Directorate I Head of Dittipidsiber Bareskrim Polri, Senior Commissioner Deddy Supriadi, said in a press conference that the disclosure of this case was the result of synergy between the Indonesian National Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).

“There is an American citizen who owns a company called IQ Power Tools based in America, whose data was manipulated based on reports from the FBI and PPATK,” he said at the Bareskrim Polri Building, Jakarta, Wednesday.

Initially, the perpetrator hacked the buyer’s email and discovered that a payment transaction for computer hardware was taking place between the two companies.

The perpetrator then pretended to be the seller by sending an email made to look similar to the official email. The perpetrator then manipulated the victim into making a payment to an Indonesian bank account that had been prepared to receive the proceeds of the crime.

As a result of the incident, the victim suffered a loss of US$350,325.

“We know based on the facts that the BCA account numbered 5345187445 is under the name PT Aksesoris Andalan Bersama,” said Deddy.

At the time of the blocking process, the account was known to still have a balance of US$285,859, equivalent to Rp5 billion.

Deddy stated that suspect LPK played the role of establishing the legal entity PT Aksesoris Andalan Bersama using the identity of his own biological child and a fictitious address.

LPK admitted to being instructed to commit this crime by a Chinese national with the initials CW, who is now on the wanted list.

Meanwhile, suspect LJ was tasked with communicating with suspect CW.

“The suspect with the initials LJ is known to have been living in Indonesia since 2005,” he said.

Both suspects are charged with multiple articles related to criminal acts of electronic document manipulation, fund transfers, fraud, and money laundering.