Exposed! House in Semarang Uncovered as International Love Scamming Hub, Four Chinese Nationals Arrested

The Directorate General of Immigration has exposed an alleged international online fraud network using ‘love scamming’ tactics operating out of Semarang, Central Java. During the raid, officers detained four Chinese nationals and seized hundreds of electronic devices suspected of being used to carry out the fraudulent activities.

The disclosure was carried out by the Semarang Immigration Office in collaboration with the Central Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration following a two-week investigation. The immigration surveillance operation took place in the Puri Anjasmoro area, West Semarang, specifically at a house within the Puri Eksekutif housing estate.

The Head of the Semarang Immigration Office, Ari Widodo, stated that the discovery was the result of intensive immigration intelligence activities conducted by the Immigration Intelligence and Enforcement Team (Inteldakim). “This exposure is the result of continuous immigration intelligence work and strong synergy between the Semarang Immigration Office and the Central Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration. We will ensure that every suspected immigration violation is processed in accordance with the applicable legal provisions,” said Ari Widodo.

As a result of the operation, officers detained four Chinese nationals identified by the initials HJ (40), HK (44), HY (44), and TW (37). Additionally, two Indonesian nationals, identified as DS (26) and E (26), were also taken into custody for further questioning regarding the activities occurring at the location.

During the search, officers discovered a large amount of evidence suspected of supporting the online fraud activities. The seized items include 604 mobile phones of various brands, 11 laptops, 10 all-in-one (AIO) computers, one printer, one hard disk, one projector, one portable wireless device, hundreds of SIM cards, three passports from the People’s Republic of China, and several other documents that are currently undergoing further analysis. Preliminary investigations suggest that the Chinese nationals were conducting love scamming operations by utilising various digital communication platforms, including the DingTalk and DingDing applications.