Woman in Gresik Duped by Fake Civil Servant Appointment Letter, Arrives for Work in Official Uniform

A woman with the initials SE is suspected to be a victim of a fraudulent civil servant (ASN) appointment letter in Gresik Regency, East Java. The incident came to light when SE arrived at the Gresik Regent’s Office wearing a complete official uniform on Monday morning (6/4). However, SE later realised she did not have ASN status after it was discovered that the PNS appointment letter she carried was a fake document. Irregularities began to emerge when staff at the Regent’s Official Residence asked about SE’s work placement. Her response raised suspicions from local officials. Head of the Protocol and Leadership Communication Section (Prokopim) of the Gresik Regional Secretariat, Imam Basuki, said that initially, they did not suspect SE’s arrival and thought she was a new employee from a transfer. “At first, I thought there was a transferred PNS. But after asking, she claimed to be placed in the Public Relations Section, even though that section has long ceased to exist as it has been changed to the Prokopim Section,” Imam told reporters on Wednesday (8/4). Suspicions grew stronger after staff examined the documents SE brought, including the 2024 PNS appointment letter that had been legalised. “From there, we felt something was off and immediately checked the documents in more detail,” said Imam. The examination revealed discrepancies in the documents, particularly in the signature of the official listed. “The name is correct, but the signature is different,” he added. When informed of the suspected document forgery, SE appeared devastated. She looked confused and disappointed after realising her hopes of becoming an ASN were dashed instantly. Based on her account, SE is not the only victim in this case. It is estimated that there are 12 to 15 other people who experienced the same thing, promised passing the PNS selection and given fake appointment letters with placements in various agencies under the Gresik Regency Government. Following the findings, the Gresik Regency Government through the Personnel and Human Resources Development Agency (BKPSDM) immediately conducted further investigations. Head of BKPSDM Gresik, Agung Endro Dwi Setyo Utomo, emphasised that they are delving deeper into the suspected fraud case.