Potential Scams Looming, Public Must Be More Vigilant

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The potential for scams can emerge at various points in daily activities. An individual might receive a message containing a link offering attractive prizes from a number resembling a bank. Although it appears enticing, this could be a phishing attempt to steal personal data. Digital identity company VIDA reports that 9 out of 10 scam cases involve the theft of one-time passwords (OTPs). The modus operandi includes malicious APK files disguised as delivery status updates, which can infect devices if downloaded. VIDA Founder & Group CEO Niki Luhur stated that scam methods continue to evolve with the use of new technologies. “VIDA has recorded a 156% surge in deepfake-based fraud attempts in Southeast Asia throughout 2025,” he said in a written statement on Tuesday (5/5/2026). He explained that scam risks can also arise when handling important documents. Misuse risks emerge if digital signing processes are not conducted through certified official channels. “Therefore, digital identity protection becomes increasingly important to keep every digital interaction secure,” he added. Furthermore, Niki said that Indonesians already possess a fairly good basic level of awareness regarding digital fraud dangers. However, this vigilance often decreases when faced with situations that seem beneficial, urgent, or convincing. “When the modus operandi appears relevant, attractive, or seemingly advantageous, vigilance can drop in seconds. Therefore, building habits to pause, double-check, and not immediately trust becomes increasingly important amid the development of increasingly sophisticated scam methods,” Niki stated. To bring this understanding closer, VIDA has launched “The World of VIDA”, an informative and easy-to-understand video demonstrating how digital identity protection works behind various daily activities. Through an approach closely tied to everyday life, this video is presented so that the public can see that digital protection is not something distant or complicated, but relevant to the activities they perform every day. “Through The World of VIDA, we want to bring this issue closer to the daily lives of the public. The hope is that the public does not view digital protection as something distant or complicated, but as something relevant to the activities they do every day,” Niki concluded. For information, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) through the Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre (IASC) has recorded 515,345 scam case reports from 22 November 2024 to 31 March 2026.