Series of Fake Pocong Hoaxes in East Java

Fake pocong hoaxes involving knocking on doors and criminal claims disguised as pocong bandits have occurred in several parts of East Java (Jatim). The panic over pocong began in Lamongan district. Residents in Tumenggungan neighbourhood, Lamongan subdistrict, were startled after a short video surfaced showing a figure wrapped in white cloth standing in a poorly lit alleyway at night. Local RT head Huda confirmed the area had become a hot topic for the viral pocong video. However, after authorities intervened, the figure turned out to be two teenagers, MA (17) and AB (17), who had staged the prank for social media content. Tumenggungan village head Junaidi ordered staff to gather the youths to quell public panic. During interrogation, the teenagers admitted they were merely joking. “I asked them what their intention was, and they replied it was just a prank,” Junaidi told detikcom on Sunday (24/5). MA, who played the pocong, said he reluctantly followed his friend’s idea, while AB, the mastermind and videographer, publicly apologised for the disturbance caused by his content. “I apologise and will not create social media videos about pocong that cause public unrest, especially in Lamongan,” AB stated. In Nganjuk regency, digital posters claiming fake pocong terrorising homes with celurit (a type of sickle) sparked concern, particularly in Kacangan village, Berbek subdistrict. Police Public Relations Officer AKP Fajar Kurniadi confirmed the claims were not from official sources and no real reports had been filed. He urged Nganjuk residents to stay calm and verify mysterious online information. “We also advise the public not to spread unverified rumours,” Fajar added. In Sidoarjo, rumours of fake pocong visiting homes spread via WhatsApp chain messages in Ngampelsari village, Candi subdistrict. After investigation, the video was found to originate from Tangerang, West Java, and was unrelated to Sidoarjo. Local resident Budi Santoso (32) said the area remained safe as residents dismissed the chain message as false. “I heard about it from WhatsApp videos saying fake pocong were caught in Tangerang. Here in Ngampelsari, there’s no such incident,” Santoso said. “Most people here don’t respond because they see it as pure nonsense. Nothing has happened so far,” he added. Candi Police Station Chief Kompol Septiawan Adi Prihartono confirmed no official reports were received, but security patrols in residential areas were increased. In Malang, a “pocong bandit” narrative linked to street crimes emerged. Police Public Relations Officer AKP Bambang Subinajar urged Malang Regency residents not to panic or take vigilante action. Malang City Police Public Relations Officer Ipda Lukman Sobhikin stated that after monitoring five police stations, the city was free of pocong bandit incidents. “We must emphasise there have been no pocong bandit cases in Malang City Police jurisdiction, nor any official reports from the public,” Lukman said. “This fact is important to prevent public misunderstanding and provocation by unverified narratives,” he added. Lukman called for an end to spreading false narratives on social media and urged citizens to use official reporting channels for suspicious activities.