Love Scamming from Kotabumi Detention Centre in Lampung, 137 Detainees Suspected of Involvement

Lampung Regional Police (Polda Lampung) have uncovered a case of love scamming perpetrated by inmates from within the Class IIB Kotabumi Detention Centre. “The revelation of this case resulted from collaboration or joint investigation with the Ministry of Immigration, enabling the exposure of the love scamming operation controlled from inside Kotabumi Detention Centre,” said Lampung Police Chief Inspector General Helfi Assegaf in Lampung Province on Monday (1/5). He stated that in this case, at least 137 detainees at the facility are suspected of involvement in the group-based love scamming crime. “We examined 145 inmates there (at Kotabumi Detention Centre), and 137 individuals were indicated to be involved in this case,” he said. The Police Chief mentioned that based on the investigation results, the number of identified victims exceeds 1,200, with 671 of them related to online-based sexual exploitation. “Of that number, 249 victims are known to have transferred money to the perpetrators. The victims come from various regions, including East Java and Lampung, with total estimated losses reaching Rp1.4 billion,” he stated. He explained that the modus operandi employed by the perpetrators involved creating social media accounts with fake profiles resembling members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) or Police to deceive their victims. “This activity has been carried out by the perpetrators since January until April. Evidence seized includes 156 mobile phones of various brands, one bank passbook, daily police service uniforms, police insignia, detective pins, and clothing used to support the disguise operation,” he said. He emphasised that Polda Lampung will continue to delve deeper into this case and identify all further involved parties. “Currently, the implicated inmates have been transferred from Kotabumi Detention Centre to Bandarlampung Detention Centre to facilitate the ongoing investigation process,” he added.