RADAR TRENGGALEK – A fake bank fund disbursement scam has left a woman in East Java with losses totaling IDR 150 million after fraudsters promised to unlock billions of rupiah in business capital.
Police in Trenggalek identified the victim as Wiji Astuti, a resident of Krandegan Village in Gandusari District. She initially sought business funding of up to IDR 1.5 billion but instead fell victim to an elaborate fraud scheme.
Authorities arrested two suspects: Muhammad Ridwan, 43, also known as Weldan, from Wonosobo in Central Java, and Alfian Kasidin, 51, from Pasuruan.
According to Deputy Police Chief Commissioner Herlinarto, the case began in January 2026. The victim and her husband met the suspects at a house in Durenan District.
At the meeting, Ridwan claimed he could arrange business capital disbursement through Bank BCA. He initially offered IDR 1 billion in funding. However, he demanded an administrative fee of IDR 100 million.
The suspect promised that the funds would appear through the BCA Mobile application. Convinced by the offer, the victim transferred IDR 100 million on January 14, 2026, via a BRILink agent.
Shortly afterward, the suspects increased the offer to IDR 5 billion. They then asked for an additional IDR 50 million as an administrative requirement. The victim complied.
On January 22, 2026, one suspect visited the victim’s home. He borrowed her phone and installed a fake BCA Mobile application. The app displayed a notification showing IDR 5 billion credited to her account.
To reinforce the illusion, the suspects showed three suitcases filled with stacks of rupiah and US dollar notes. They claimed the cash totaled IDR 50 billion.
Herlinarto said the suspects even demonstrated IDR 100,000 banknotes under ultraviolet light to appear authentic. They later demanded another IDR 50 million to “remove special markings” from the money.
At that point, the victim grew suspicious. The IDR 5 billion shown in the app could not be withdrawn. When she pressed for clarification, the suspects offered repeated excuses.
Realizing she had been deceived, the victim reported the case to the Trenggalek Police.
Investigators later confirmed that the supposed IDR 50 billion in cash was fake. The suspects placed genuine banknotes or printed replicas on top of stacks filled with plain white paper labeled “thank you.”
Police charged the suspects under Article 492 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023). The offense carries a maximum prison sentence of four years.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant against offers that promise large financial disbursements in exchange for upfront fees.