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Fake casting calls for models and films in Indonesia: warning signs, checks and reporting

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

Fake castings can end in fees or secret filming in changing rooms. Learn the warning signs, how to check a casting call and where to report in Indonesia.

High severity Usually arrives via: Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Facebook

Summary

  • Kemnaker lists requests for money for administration or training as a sign of a fake vacancy.
  • In December 2024 East Java police arrested two suspects who filmed casting participants with a hidden camera while they changed; victims had been promised modelling work.
  • UU 21/2007 includes sexual exploitation in its definition of exploitation in trafficking crimes.
  • Violence against women and children can be reported to KemenPPPA's SAPA 129 service.
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On this page
  1. How does the fake modelling castings scam work?
  2. What are the warning signs of the fake modelling castings scam?
  3. How is the fake modelling castings scam different from a real vacancy?
  4. I have already been caught. What should I do now?
  5. How do you spot a fake casting call?
  6. What does a fake casting invitation look like?
  7. How can you check a modelling or film casting before you go?
  8. Where can you report harassment or filming without consent?

How does the fake modelling castings scam work?

The fake modelling castings scam usually runs in 5 steps. Any step that asks for money, personal data or a move to a chat app is the point to stop.

  1. Step 1 of 5: A casting invitation for an advertisement or catalogue arrives on social media or by private message.
  2. Step 2 of 5: Participants are told to come to a private location, such as an apartment, rather than a studio or office with a clear address.
  3. Step 3 of 5: Some steps look official, such as a sign-in sheet, so participants trust the process.
  4. Step 4 of 5: Participants are asked to change clothes in a room fitted with hidden cameras, and the footage is later shared.
  5. Step 5 of 5: In another pattern, participants are asked to pay a training or administration fee as a condition of being accepted.

What are the warning signs of the fake modelling castings scam?

The fake modelling castings scam has the 5 main warning signs below, each with its source. One sign is enough reason to stop and check again before you pay or send any data.

  • An administration or training fee is a condition of being accepted.Republika (official statement via media)
  • The casting is held at a private location such as an apartment, not a clear studio or office.Merdeka.com (official statement via media)
  • You are asked to change clothes in a room prepared by an unclear organiser.Jawa Pos (dari Antara) (official statement via media)
  • The organiser asks for your KTP, bank account number or a selfie with your ID at the start.Kompas TV (official statement via media)
  • The invitation comes by private message from an account you cannot check.Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI)

How is the fake modelling castings scam different from a real vacancy?

The table compares each step of the fake modelling castings scam with how legitimate employers recruit, row by row.

Scam tactics compared with legitimate recruitment practice
Scam tacticLegitimate practice
Pay first for training or 'administration' to be accepted.You do not pay to attend a casting or to be accepted.
A private venue, with the address given at the last minute.A studio or office with a clear address you can check beforehand.
Changing in a room prepared by an unknown organiser.You may bring a companion and refuse any request that makes you uncomfortable.
An invitation from a personal account with no track record.An invitation from an agency or brand whose contacts can be checked on official channels.

I have already been caught. What should I do now?

If you have followed the fake modelling castings scam, stop all contact, send no more money or data, keep every piece of evidence, then report to the official channels below.

  1. Do not pay, and do not go alone to an unclear location.
  2. Check the agency or brand through its official channels, and ask for written details of the venue, time and person in charge.
  3. If you were filmed without consent or harassed, keep the evidence and make a police report; women and children can also report to SAPA 129.
  4. For participants under 18, involve a parent or guardian from the start.

Where should I report?

Check a similar message with the job checker

How do you spot a fake casting call?

A fake casting usually combines three things: a fee to take part or be accepted, a private location such as an apartment, and a request to change clothes in a room an unclear organiser has prepared. According to the East Java police spokesperson, in the case uncovered in December 2024 victims were promised modelling work and then filmed by a hidden camera while changing. Kemnaker also lists requests for money for administration or training as a sign of a fake vacancy.

What does a fake casting invitation look like?

The example below is an illustration written by the KarirAman editors from the pattern in the case handled by the East Java police and Kemnaker's signs of fake vacancies. It is not a copy of a real message. Names, numbers and places are hidden.

Hi, you have been chosen for a casting for a [name removed] product ad. Come tomorrow to an apartment unit at [name removed] and bring a change of clothes. The model registration fee is paid on site. Info: 08xx-xxxx-xxxx.

This invitation combines a private venue, a request to change clothes, and a fee to take part.

How can you check a modelling or film casting before you go?

Look up the brand's or agency's official account yourself and ask whether the casting exists. Ask for the full address, the schedule and the name of the person in charge in writing, and bring a companion. Casting safety advice is available from The Cast Index: is a modelling agency legit?, and a list of model agencies in Indonesia is at model agencies in Indonesia (The Cast Index).

Make a police report at the SPKT desk of the nearest police station and bring whatever evidence you have. Women and children can also report to KemenPPPA's SAPA 129. If a casting offer turns into an invitation to work abroad or stay in a holding house, read Human trafficking through job offers.

Which careers are used as bait for the fake modelling castings scam?

Vacancies for these careers are often used as bait for the fake modelling castings scam, highest scam risk first.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a modelling agency charge you to join?

Kemnaker lists requests for money for administration or training in recruitment as a sign of a fake vacancy. Do not pay as a condition of being accepted for a casting or by an agency. Ask in writing who the organiser is and check through the agency's or brand's official channels.

What should I do if photos or videos of me are shared without consent?

Save links and screenshots without sharing them further, then make a police report at the SPKT desk of the nearest police station. In the fake casting case in East Java, the regional police cyber directorate handled the filming and distribution of participants' videos under the ITE and Pornography laws. Women and children can also report to SAPA 129.

Child model castings: what should parents watch for?

UU 21/2007 defines a child as anyone under 18. Involve a parent or guardian from the first invitation, make sure they come to the venue, and do not agree to sessions in private places or with unclear organisers.

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. 2 Penyebar Video Mesum Ditangkap, Model asal Surabaya Blak-blakan pernah jadi Korban Casting Palsu Merdeka.com · official statement via media · accessed
  2. Ini 5 ciri-ciri lowongan kerja palsu versi Kemnaker Republika · official statement via media · accessed
  3. 6 Ciri Lowongan Kerja Bodong yang Perlu Diwaspadai Kompas TV · official statement via media · accessed
  4. Waspada, Penipuan (Scam) Mengintai Kita. Ayo Lawan dan Hindari! (Booklet Satgas PASTI) Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI) · accessed
  5. Undang-Undang Nomor 21 Tahun 2007 tentang Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Perdagangan Orang Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 21/2007 · accessed
  6. Layanan SAPA 129 KemenPPPA Kementerian Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan Anak · accessed
  7. Sentra Pelayanan Kepolisian Terpadu (SPKT) Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia · accessed
  8. Polda Jatim tangkap dua tersangka penyebar video porno artis dan model, pelaku pasang kamera tersembunyi di ruang ganti Jawa Pos (dari Antara) · official statement via media · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Fake casting calls for models and films in Indonesia: warning signs, checks and reporting. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/job-scams/fake-modelling-casting/

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CariTalent and PanduanHewan are Kode Nirlaba projects; Panduan Warga and The Cast Index are independent publications with the same founder. CourseToJob is a study-guide site with the same owner, run by Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd.

Change log
  • : The police account of the East Java casting case now follows the statement of the East Java police spokesperson; added the signs of a fake casting and how to check a film casting.