Indonesia's Growing Financial Literacy Challenge: Scams and Emerging Threats

Rising Scam Losses Highlight Financial Education Needs

Indonesia is facing a significant financial literacy challenge as reported losses from scams have reached Rp7.3 trillion with over 323,000 cases reported to the Indonesia Anti-Scam Center as of November 2025 ¹

. The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has highlighted the urgent need for improved financial education to protect consumers from various fraudulent schemes. OJK's Executive Head of Consumer Protection, Friderica Widyasari Dewi, emphasized that financial literacy is crucial for managing finances wisely and sustainably.

Common Scam Tactics and Emerging Threats

The most common scam tactics include:

1. Shopping transaction fraud: Over 58,000 reports with losses exceeding Rp1 trillion
2. Fake calls/emergency scams: Scammers impersonate known individuals, creating panic to extract money
3. Investment scams: Targeting young people with fake investment opportunities

New emerging threats include the use of AI-powered technologies such as voice cloning and deepfake videos ²

. These advanced technologies enable scammers to create convincing impersonations of known individuals, making fraud detection more challenging.

Government and Industry Response

The OJK is addressing these challenges through the National Financial Literacy Movement (Gerakan Nasional Cerdas Keuangan), a comprehensive initiative involving all financial sector stakeholders. As of October 2025, the program has:

• Conducted 42,121 education programs
• Reached over 200 million participants/viewers across Indonesia

Friderica Widyasari Dewi emphasized that continued collaboration among stakeholders is essential to combat these financial threats effectively. While OJK provides regulatory protection, individual vigilance remains crucial in preventing scam cases.