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Safe online work in Indonesia: telling real jobs from task and deposit scams

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Real online jobs pay you; they never ask for deposits. How to spot no-capital, daily-pay online job scams, protect your data, and what to do if you paid.

Summary

  • Genuine online work pays you for finished work; a job that asks you to deposit money first is a sign of fraud.
  • OJK describes the part-time job scam: like-and-subscribe tasks, a small first payment, a chat group, then ever-growing deposit demands.
  • The Ministry of Manpower lists requests for your ID card, bank account or a selfie with your ID 'for verification' as signs of a fake job.
  • Self-employed people, including online freelancers, can join BPJS Ketenagakerjaan as non-wage earners (BPU).
  • If you have already paid, contact your bank, report to IASC and make a police report as soon as possible.
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On this page
  1. How can you tell genuine online work from a scam?
  2. How does the like-and-subscribe part-time job scam work?
  3. Can online work that asks for a deposit or top-up be trusted?
  4. Which data should you never send when applying for online work?
  5. Where can you look for safer online or remote work?
  6. Can online workers join BPJS Ketenagakerjaan?
  7. What should you do if you already sent money to an online job scammer?
  8. Which official channels can you contact?

How can you tell genuine online work from a scam?

Genuine online work pays you for completed work, while a scam asks you to deposit money first. OJK's Satgas PASTI task force recommends the 2L test: Legal (the organiser is clear and official) and Logis (the reward makes sense). Big pay for very easy tasks, recruiters using free e-mail addresses and instant chat interviews are also signs of a fake job according to the Ministry of Manpower.

How does the like-and-subscribe part-time job scam work?

Satgas PASTI describes the pattern: the victim is asked to like and subscribe to posts, receives a first payment, then is invited to a chat group. There the victim is asked to deposit money for the next mission with a promise of getting it back plus a reward, and is then asked for more deposits on various pretexts until the scammer disappears. OJK's 2026 booklet also names the promise of a big commission after a deposit as a way scammers exploit greed.

Can online work that asks for a deposit or top-up be trusted?

No. A request for a deposit, a balance top-up, a package purchase or an activation fee before you can work is a sign of fraud. The Ministry of Manpower lists requests for money for administration, training or uniforms as signs of a fake job, and repeated deposits are the core of the part-time job scam OJK describes. Money already deposited is usually hard to recover, so stop before the first transfer.

Which data should you never send when applying for online work?

Do not send a photo of your ID card, a selfie holding your ID, your bank account number, a one-time code, a PIN or a password to a recruiter you have not verified. The Ministry of Manpower lists requests for such data 'for verification' as a sign of a fake job, because it can be misused for online loans or other crimes. Law 27/2022 on Personal Data Protection requires data controllers to keep personal data confidential (Article 36), but scammers ignore it.

Where can you look for safer online or remote work?

Start with companies' official careers sites and government portals such as the Ministry of Manpower's Karirhub. For freelance work, use platforms that hold the client's payment until the work is done (escrow), as Sribu and Fastwork describe on their official pages, and do not move the deal off the platform. For companies hiring directly, check the legal entity on AHU Online.

Can online workers join BPJS Ketenagakerjaan?

Yes. BPJS Ketenagakerjaan has a non-wage-earner category (Bukan Penerima Upah, BPU) for self-employed people. BPU members can join old-age savings (JHT), work-accident cover (JKK) and death benefit (JKM). You register with your NIK or ID card and an e-mail address, through the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan website, a branch office, PERISAI agents or partners such as BRILink. Make sure you register through official channels.

What should you do if you already sent money to an online job scammer?

Act quickly. OJK's anti-scam centre (IASC) asks victims to do two things: report to IASC so the transaction can be handled and accounts blocked, and make a police report at the nearest police station. Prepare transfer receipts, your account details and the scammer's account details, and screenshots of the chats. An IASC report does not replace a police report, and the chance of saving funds depends on how fast you report.

Checklist before accepting online work

  • Nobody asks for a deposit, top-up, package or activation fee.
  • You can check the company or client on an official site or AHU Online.
  • You do not send your ID card, a selfie with your ID, bank details, one-time codes or PINs to the recruiter.
  • The pay makes sense for the work requested.
  • For freelance work, the platform holds the payment and the deal stays on the platform.
  • You do not install apps or files from chat links.

Which official channels can you contact?

Frequently asked questions

Is every work-from-home offer on WhatsApp a scam?

Not always, but watch for a combination of warning signs: an unexpected private message, a chat-only interview, small payments for tasks at first, then a request for a deposit or a paid package. OJK advises not to trust offers by private message straight away and to confirm with the company's official contacts.

Should I buy a 'package' or 'level' to unlock better-paid tasks?

No. In the scheme described by OJK's Satgas PASTI task force, victims are asked to deposit money for the next mission with a promise of getting it back plus a reward, then asked to deposit again until the scammer disappears. Real work never asks you to pay to be able to work.

Where can you report a suspicious online job offer in Indonesia?

If you have not sent money, you can report to Kontak OJK 157, as Satgas PASTI advises. If you have sent money, contact your bank and report to IASC, then make a report at the nearest police station, because an IASC report does not replace a police report.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Satgas PASTI Blokir 311 Pinjol Ilegal dan Pinpri (bagian 'Waspada Modus Penipuan') Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Satgas PASTI) · accessed
  2. Waspada, Penipuan (Scam) Mengintai Kita. Ayo Lawan dan Hindari! (Booklet Satgas PASTI) Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI) · accessed
  3. 6 Ciri Lowongan Kerja Bodong yang Perlu Diwaspadai Kompas TV · official statement via media · accessed
  4. Undang-Undang Nomor 27 Tahun 2022 tentang Pelindungan Data Pribadi Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 27/2022 · accessed
  5. Karirhub Kemnaker Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (Karirhub) · accessed
  6. Ditjen AHU Online: pencarian profil perseroan Direktorat Jenderal Administrasi Hukum Umum, Kementerian Hukum · accessed
  7. Sribu: situs freelance online (FAQ beranda) Sribu · accessed
  8. Fastwork.id (beranda dan cara kerja) Fastwork Technologies · accessed
  9. BPJS Ketenagakerjaan: Bukan Penerima Upah (manfaat dan pendaftaran) BPJS Ketenagakerjaan · accessed
  10. Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre (IASC): Tentang, Langkah Pelaporan dan FAQ Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (IASC) · accessed
  11. Sentra Pelayanan Kepolisian Terpadu (SPKT) Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Safe online work in Indonesia: telling real jobs from task and deposit scams. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/guides/safe-online-work/

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