JAKARTA, JOURNALARTA.COM – Hundreds of millions of rupiah have vanished from Indonesians’ pockets due to fraudulent money-making apps flooding the market throughout 2025 and into 2026. The scheme is always the same — promises of Rp500,000 to Rp1 million per day, only to disappear after draining members’ deposits.
Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) records thousands of complaints each year about illegal investment and money-making apps. Individual victims can lose tens to hundreds of millions of rupiah — and those figures keep climbing as scam apps grow more sophisticated. Know the warning signs before it’s too late.
7 Signs of a Fraudulent Money-Making App
One red flag is enough to walk away. Two or more? Uninstall immediately.
1. Unrealistic profit promises. “Invest Rp100,000 and turn it into Rp10 million in 7 days.” Even legitimate investments like mutual funds or time deposits only return 5–20% per year. Any app promising 100% per day isn’t an opportunity — it’s a trap.
2. Mandatory top-up before withdrawing. The excuses vary: admin fees, taxes, or “unlocking a VIP mission.” This is the most classic scam telltale sign. Genuinely legitimate earning apps like SnackVideo or CashPop never ask for a deposit before paying out.
3. Ponzi scheme based on recruiting members. The main income comes not from completing tasks, but from getting new people to sign up. Pyramid schemes like this always collapse. Those who join last always lose the most.
4. No OJK, BI, or Kominfo license. Check the Play Store: the developer is listed as some obscure “CV,” the office address is blank, and customer service is just a personal WhatsApp number. Legitimate apps must have a clear legal entity and authorization from the relevant regulatory body.
5. Suspiciously uniform Play Store ratings. A 4.8-star rating, but every review sounds like a template — “Great app bro” or “Withdrawals are so smooth.” Scroll down and filter for one-star reviews. Those are usually honest: “Topped up Rp5 million, can’t withdraw” or “Account suddenly blocked.” Trust those reviews.
6. Sloppy design and gambling ads. Scam apps cut corners on budget. Pixelated icons, typo-riddled text, and — oddly — nearly every ad that appears is for an online slot game. Serious companies maintain clean, consistent interfaces.
7. FOMO tactics and artificial urgency. “Promo ends in 3 days!” or “Only 10 member slots left!” The goal is simple: stop you from thinking clearly so you transfer money on the spot. Rushing is the biggest enemy of sound financial decisions.
The golden rule: a legitimate app will never ask you to deposit money first in order to withdraw your earnings.
How to Verify an App’s Legality Through OJK — Takes 30 Seconds
Before installing anything, run through these three steps.
Step one: check the OJK website. Go to ojk.go.id and navigate to “Check a Company” or “Investment Alert.” Type in the app name or the developer’s company name. If it doesn’t appear in the list of licensed entities, it’s illegal — simple as that.
Step two: scrutinize the Play Store listing. Look at four things: the developer name (a registered PT or just a CV?), the office address (clearly listed or blank?), the download count (under one million is a warning sign), and the date of the last update. Scam apps are often months out of date — a sign the developers are already preparing to disappear.
Step three: read the 10 most recent one-star reviews. Don’t fixate on five-star reviews that can be bought. Filter by most recent, lowest rating. If the complaints are dominated by “withdrawal rejected” or “account suddenly blocked,” leave the app alone.
Already Scammed? Do This Now
First and most importantly: stop topping up right now. Many victims keep depositing money hoping to recoup their losses. They won’t. The more you put in, the greater the damage.
Contact OJK’s call center immediately at 157 or email [email protected]. Attach your transfer receipts and conversation screenshots. These reports are critical for investigations and blocking the app before it claims more victims.
File a police report and submit a complaint to Kominfo via aduankonten.id so the fraudulent website or app can be taken down quickly. And share this information with your family and friends group chats. One message can stop dozens of people from becoming the next victims.
There’s no easy money from a smartphone. If you want real supplemental income, the path is the same as it’s always been: freelancing, selling, or affiliate marketing. It takes effort — but the results are real, and they don’t end with a police report.
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