Fake civil service (CPNS) and state-owned company (BUMN) recruitment: signs and checks
An offer to pass the civil service test or join a state-owned firm for money is a scam. BKN and FHCI say official selection is free. How to check a job.
High severity Usually arrives via: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, e-mail, websites, in person
Summary
- Indonesia's civil service agency (BKN) says CASN selection stages are announced openly and carry no fee.
- According to BKN, both an applicant who pays a fixer and the fixer can face criminal charges.
- FHCI, which runs the joint SOE recruitment, said every stage of Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2024 was free of any fee.
- The SOE regulator lists the official careers sites of state-owned enterprises at bumn.go.id.
Show the full summaryShow less
On this page
- How does the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam work?
- What are the warning signs of the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam?
- How is the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam different from a real vacancy?
- I have already been caught. What should I do now?
- What does a fake SOE or civil service message look like?
- Where are official CPNS, PPPK and SOE vacancies announced?
- A BUMN test invitation asks you to book tickets and a hotel: is it a scam?
- How do you spot a fake MagangHub, MBG volunteer or government programme sign-up?
- Is there a fixer or inside track into the TNI or Polri?
How does the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam work?
The fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment 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.
- Step 1 of 5: The scammer spreads vacancies or letters in the name of a state-owned company, ministry or local agency, often with official logos.
- Step 2 of 5: The victim is promised a pass or an appointment without the open selection.
- Step 3 of 5: The victim is asked for money, or to pay for test travel and lodging with a promise of reimbursement.
- Step 4 of 5: The victim receives an appointment letter or invitation that turns out to be fake.
- Step 5 of 5: The promised appointment never happens and the scammer becomes hard to reach.
What are the warning signs of the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam?
The fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam has the 6 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.
- You are offered a CPNS or PPPK post without the open selection, in exchange for money.
- You receive an appointment letter that was not announced on the agency's official channels.Badan Kepegawaian Negara
- Registration is directed to a link or form other than the official portal.
- There is a fee to take part in an SOE selection stage.detikFinance (official statement via media)
- A test invitation promises to reimburse your tickets and lodging.Infobanknews (official statement via media)
- The sender claims to be an SOE or government agency but uses an unclear number or e-mail.Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI)
How is the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam different from a real vacancy?
The table compares each step of the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam with how legitimate employers recruit, row by row.
| Scam tactic | Legitimate practice |
|---|---|
| An 'inside track' that you pay for to be appointed. | CASN selection is open, announced publicly and free of charge. |
| Registration through a link sent by chat. | CPNS and PPPK through SSCASN; SOEs through official careers sites listed at bumn.go.id. |
| An appointment letter sent on WhatsApp. | Selection results are announced openly on the agency's official channels. |
| A test invitation asks you to buy tickets or a hotel with a promise of reimbursement. | Official SOE announcements we read say there are no selection fees and no travel reimbursement. |
I have already been caught. What should I do now?
If you have followed the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam, stop all contact, send no more money or data, keep every piece of evidence, then report to the official channels below.
- Do not pay, and do not hand original documents to anyone who promises you will pass.
- Check announcements on SSCASN for CASN, or on the SOE's official careers site listed at bumn.go.id.
- Keep the messages, letters and transfer receipts.
- Report to the police; complaints about a government agency's service can go through SP4N-LAPOR!.
Where should I report?
-
Police call centre 110
Emergencies and crime reports; formal reports are made at the SPKT of the nearest Polres or Polsek
-
SP4N-LAPOR! public complaints
Complaints about public services to government bodies
-
Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre (IASC)
Report fraud after money was transferred, so the scammer's account can be blocked
What does a fake SOE or civil service message look like?
The example below is an illustration written by the KarirAman editors from the patterns described by BKN and FHCI. It is not a copy of a real message. Names, numbers and links are hidden.
Announcement: you have been selected for the final test at [name removed]. Participants must book tickets and a hotel through the appointed travel agent; costs are reimbursed after the test. Confirm at 08xx-xxxx-xxxx and fill in your data at [link removed].
This message borrows an agency's name, pushes you to pay for travel with a promise of reimbursement, and points to a link outside the official portal.
Where are official CPNS, PPPK and SOE vacancies announced?
Civil service selection (CPNS and PPPK) runs through BKN's SSCASN portal, and BKN says its stages are announced openly and carry no fee. SOE vacancies can be traced from the BUMN careers directory at bumn.go.id, which lists the joint SOE recruitment and links to each company's official careers site. To check other employers, follow How to verify an employer.
A BUMN test invitation asks you to book tickets and a hotel: is it a scam?
Official SOE announcements we read, such as PLN's statement in March 2024, say the company charges participants nothing and has no reimbursement of transport or accommodation costs for selection. The state-owned rail operator also said in April 2026 that it works with no travel agent and never requires candidates to book hotels or transport through third parties. If an invitation asks you to pay for tickets or a hotel through a particular party, treat it as a red flag and check with the company's official channels. KarirAman is not affiliated with any state-owned enterprise.
How do you spot a fake MagangHub, MBG volunteer or government programme sign-up?
Real sign-ups for government programmes are announced only on the organiser's official site and accounts, and they never ask for money. Some dated examples: in June 2026 the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) disowned an MBG job link that asked for the name on the ID card and a Telegram number; in May 2026 the coordinating food minister warned of fake Kopdes Merah Putih sign-up links, while the only official channel is phtc.panselnas.go.id and it is free; the social affairs ministry and the haj and umrah ministry also disowned recruitment posts circulating on social media, and BPS warned of fraud in the name of its field-partner recruitment. MagangHub sign-up is done yourself through a SIAPkerja account, online and free.
Is there a fixer or inside track into the TNI or Polri?
No. Polri says the 2026 police academy (Akpol) selection has no special quota or inside track, and the 2026 Bintara announcement asks candidates to sign a statement not to trust anyone promising a pass; registration is only at penerimaan.polri.go.id. The army (TNI AD) recruitment site says every selection stage is free, and the navy (TNI AL) site says anyone asking for a transfer in the committee's name is certainly a fraudster. In 2025 Kulon Progo police arrested three people who promised a pass in the TNI officer selection through insiders and handed over forged graduation letters.
Which careers are used as bait for the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam?
Vacancies for these careers are often used as bait for the fake SOE (BUMN) and civil service (CPNS) recruitment scam, highest scam risk first.
KarirAman is 100% free. We never ask for money.
For job seekers and employers. We run no ads, sell no data and never ask for any fee. Anyone asking for money in KarirAman's name is a scammer. Our no-fee policy
Frequently asked questions
Is there a paid shortcut or fixer to pass the civil service (CPNS) selection?
No. BKN says CASN selection is open, its stages are announced, CAT exam results can be seen directly, and the selection carries no fee. BKN has also found fake appointment letters circulated by fixers.
How do you check a state-owned company (BUMN) vacancy?
Open the BUMN careers directory at bumn.go.id and follow the link to the company's official careers site. FHCI says information on the joint SOE recruitment is shared only through official accounts and websites, and registration happens only on the official portal.
I already paid someone who promised I would pass. What should I do?
Stop paying, keep all the evidence, and report to the police, describing what happened honestly. BKN warns that dealing with selection fixers can carry criminal liability, and it involves law enforcement in these cases.
Can a civil service selection fixer be prosecuted?
Yes. BKN says both the fixer who takes money and the applicant who pays can face criminal liability. On 18 December 2025 the judicial honour council dismissed a judge without honour for offering parents a paid special route to get their children through the CPNS selection. Report such offers to the police and keep the evidence.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- Pelamar CASN Diminta Tidak Bertransaksi dengan Oknum Seleksi (Siaran Pers 014/RILIS/BKN/X/2023) Badan Kepegawaian Negara · accessed
- SSCASN: Sistem Seleksi Calon Aparatur Sipil Negara Badan Kepegawaian Negara · accessed
- Karir dan Magang BUMN: Rekrutmen Bersama, MAGENTA dan situs karier perusahaan BUMN Badan Pengaturan BUMN · accessed
- Waspada Penipuan! Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN Bebas Biaya detikFinance · official statement via media · accessed
- Waspada Pungli dan Penipuan Rekrutmen PLN Infobanknews · official statement via media · accessed
- Waspada, Penipuan (Scam) Mengintai Kita. Ayo Lawan dan Hindari! (Booklet Satgas PASTI) Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI) · accessed
- SP4N-LAPOR!: Layanan Aspirasi dan Pengaduan Online Rakyat Kementerian PANRB (SP4N-LAPOR!) · accessed
- Hoaks: Tautan Pendaftaran Lowongan Kerja untuk Program MBG 2026 RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia) · official statement via media · accessed
- Marak penipuan rekrutmen manajer Kopdes Merah Putih, ini modusnya (CNBC Indonesia) CNBC Indonesia · official statement via media · accessed
- Laporan Isu Hoaks Harian Komdigi 18 Mei 2025: [HOAKS] Tautan Rekrutmen Pendamping PKH Pengganti Kemensos 2025 Kementerian Komunikasi dan Digital RI (salinan di PPID Kabupaten Sukoharjo) · accessed
- Waspada Rekrutmen Mitra Palsu (BPS Kabupaten Tulang Bawang Barat) BPS Kabupaten Tulang Bawang Barat · accessed
- Klarifikasi Informasi Pendaftaran Petugas Haji 1448 H/2027 M Kementerian Haji dan Umrah RI (haji.go.id) · accessed
- FAQ Program Pemagangan Nasional (MagangHub) Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (MagangHub) · accessed
- [HOAKS] Kementerian Imigrasi dan Pemasyarakatan Buka Seleksi CPNS 2026 (Kompas.com Cek Fakta, 5 Juni 2026) Kompas.com · official statement via media · accessed
- Penipuan Lolos CPNS, Hakim IW Diberhentikan Dengan Tidak Hormat (Komisi Yudisial, 18 Desember 2025) Komisi Yudisial RI · accessed
- Polri pastikan tak ada kuota khusus atau titipan pada seleksi Akpol 2026 JPNN · official statement via media · accessed
- Pengumuman Kapolri PENG/7/III/DIK.2.1./2026 tentang Penerimaan Bintara Polri T.A. 2026 Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia · accessed
- Panpus Penerimaan Prajurit TNI AD: pengumuman dan persyaratan Bintara dan Tamtama PK Gelombang I TA 2027 Markas Besar TNI Angkatan Darat (Panpus Penerimaan Prajurit TNI AD) · accessed
- Rekrutmen TNI Angkatan Laut TNI Angkatan Laut · accessed
- Korban Penipuan Rekrutmen TNI di Kulon Progo, Tiga Pelaku Ditangkap (Metro TV) Metro TV News · official statement via media · accessed
- Waspada! Penipuan rekrutmen KAI menyasar pengguna TikTok (Metro TV) Metro TV (metrotvnews.com) · official statement via media · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Fake civil service (CPNS) and state-owned company (BUMN) recruitment: signs and checks. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/job-scams/fake-soe-and-civil-service-recruitment/
Report a fake job Report a data problem How we handle corrections
Related guides
- State-owned enterprise (BUMN) jobs in Indonesia: official ways to apply, free of charge
- Civil service jobs (CPNS and PPPK): the difference, applying on SSCASN, avoiding brokers
- How to verify a company in Indonesia before you apply: AHU, NIB, P3MI, SOEs and OJK
- Fees for training, medical checks, uniforms or ID cards
- Factory job brokers and 'inside track' offers
- Job checker: is this job offer a scam?
- Official recruitment: real careers sites and e-mail
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
- : Added civil service fixers, TNI and Polri fixers and inside tracks, fake government programme sign-ups, and test invitations that require booking travel through an agent.