From Screen Greeting to Love Trap: The 'Haji Kamal Zaki' Scam Drains Hearts and Savings

What began as a warm greeting on social media soon escalated into daily chats, video calls, and promises of a shared future. For a number of women aged 45 to 60, the relationship felt genuine and full of affection. Yet behind the figure calling himself ‘Haji Kamal Zaki’ lay an organised fraud scheme that exploited the loneliness and trust of victims to drain their savings with promises of lavish gifts from abroad. The syndicate deceived dozens of women across Indonesia, causing losses amounting to billions of rupiah. This case serves as a stark reminder that a friendly message on a phone screen can be the start of a structured financial trap.

According to the Cyber Crime Directorate of the East Java Regional Police, the syndicate operated meticulously and patiently. The case was uncovered through collaboration between the East Java Police Cyber Crime Directorate, the Sidoarjo Police, and the East Java Immigration Office. Beyond the criminal fraud, serious immigration violations were also discovered. The Head of the East Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, Novianto Sulastono, stated that several of the foreign nationals involved were found to have misused their residence permits and overstayed, with one perpetrator exceeding their permit by 885 days.

To prevent further victims, the East Java Police urged the public to adopt preventive measures. The ‘Haji Kamal Zaki’ case demonstrates that fraudsters are adept at manipulating victims’ psychology for financial gain. Vigilance and digital literacy are key to protecting oneself and family from the growing threat of love scamming in cyberspace.