Fake Online Arisan Syndicate Worth Rp71 Billion Uncovered in East Java, Influencers Involved in Promotion

The East Java Regional Police’s Cyber Crime Directorate has uncovered a fraudulent online arisan syndicate that has affected hundreds of victims, with total transactions estimated at Rp71 billion. The Director of Cyber Crime, Senior Commissioner Bimo Ariyanto, stated that the investigation began with a report from a victim named Dewi, who claimed to have lost Rp230 million after being enticed by an investment disguised as an online arisan. “Initially, the victim Dewi received a ‘profit’ of Rp500,000. However, this was merely bait from the suspect to gain her trust and encourage her to deposit a much larger sum of money,” Bimo said at the East Java Police Headquarters in Surabaya on Wednesday (12/8).

Following the report, investigators tracked down and arrested a woman with the initials JNK, the owner and main operator of the fictitious arisan, at her residence in Bali. Bimo explained that the suspect had been running the scheme since early 2024, using social media to promote the programmes called Arisan Menurun and Arisan Pay Later (PLW). The suspect attracted potential victims with false claims that the arisan was 100 percent certified and trustworthy, and also displayed fabricated member testimonials. “To convince the victims, the suspect hired the endorsement services of several public figures and influencers. She even created a fake member account with the initials ‘IO’ to fill empty slots, making the arisan appear active and in demand,” Bimo said.

In her operations, JNK was assisted by three administrators, identified as SRJ, SWAA, and NH. Their tasks included verifying victims’ identity cards, managing WhatsApp groups, and collecting payments. Investigators have so far recorded around 140 victims spread across more than a dozen provinces in Indonesia, including 35 confirmed victims in East Java with accumulated losses of Rp2.5 billion. “Based on financial transaction analysis from June 2025 to July 2026, the total turnover in this fraudulent arisan scheme reached Rp71 billion,” Bimo stated.

Police will also examine several influencers and celebrities suspected of being involved in promoting the arisan scheme, following the discovery of alleged promotional cooperation between them and the suspect. “Based on statements from the suspect and witness administrators, the programme was endorsed or they contacted several public figures and influencers to promote the arisan,” Bimo said. He added that investigators would soon issue summonses to the public figures to determine the extent of their roles and cooperation with the perpetrator. “In the next stage of the investigation, we will summon these public figures for questioning. We will provide updates on the case’s progress,” Bimo stressed.

In addition to detaining the suspect, police seized evidence including several luxury mobile phones such as an iPhone 15 Pro Max, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a Samsung Galaxy Fold. They also confiscated a laptop, a BCA bank account, and three cars: a BMW, a Toyota Rush, and a Honda Brio. The suspect’s salon business in Bali has also been sealed off by the police. For her actions, the suspect faces multiple charges under Article 45A paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 28 paragraph (1) and/or Article 51 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 35 of Law Number 1 of 2024 concerning the Second Amendment to the ITE Law, as well as Article 492 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, with a maximum prison sentence of six years and a fine of up to Rp1 billion. To thoroughly investigate the flow of funds and trace other victims, the East Java Police have established an asset tracing team and opened a complaint hotline at 0881-104-3007. “We urge members of the public who feel they have been victims of this scheme to contact the number immediately,” he said.