Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur warns of fake TikTok account, urges public vigilance

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) - The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur (KBRI KL) has urged the public to be wary of fake social media accounts on TikTok that are impersonating KBRI KL. The advisory was issued by KBRI KL through a verified Instagram post on @indonesiainkualalumpur, published in Kuala Lumpur on Friday evening. “Beware of scams impersonating KBRI Kuala Lumpur. A fake TikTok account impersonating KBRI Kuala Lumpur has been circulating, conducting scams and communicating via WhatsApp to request personal data from the public,” stated the KBRI KL warning on Instagram. KBRI KL stressed that it does not have a TikTok account and never requests personal data through social media or private WhatsApp messages. All immigration services (passports, travel documents such as SPLP, visas) and consular services at KBRI KL are handled only through official procedures and are never offered privately. Furthermore, all official services are conducted via the official KBRI Kuala Lumpur channels. KBRI KL advised all Indonesian nationals and the public in Malaysia not to provide personal data to unclear parties; not to trust social media accounts impersonating KBRI without verification; and to report any indications of similar scams immediately. Indonesian nationals are also urged to check that all service fees comply with applicable regulations. Official information on service fees can be found on the KBRI Kuala Lumpur website or its official social media accounts. Based on observations by ANTARA in Kuala Lumpur, as of the time this report was written, the fake TikTok KBRI KL account is located at @kedutaanindonesiainkl and has 23,700 followers. The bio of the fake account includes a link directing to a WhatsApp number. ANTARA attempted to send a message to that WhatsApp number to ascertain the passport renewal fee charged by the fake account. However, as of the time this report was written, the message remains marked with a single tick, indicating it has not been received by the recipient.