TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority or J.O.K. stopped 2,500 activities of illegal online lending companies between January and October 28, 2024. The OJK also requested the blocking of 995 contact numbers of debt collectors.

Friderica Widyasari Dewi, head of OJK, said that this decision was made by the Task Force for the Eradication of Illegal Financial Activities (Satgas Pasti). “We have blocked almost 1,000 bank accounts and telephone and WhatsApp contacts,” she said during the press conference of the monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Friday, November 1, 2024.

According to her, the task force found the contact numbers of debt collectors involved in illegal online loan who allegedly uttered threats, intimidation or other illegal acts. The blocking of contact numbers was submitted to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi).

Since the beginning of the year, the OJK has received 13,860 reports regarding illegal entities. Of these, 13,020 reports were related to illegal online loans, and 840 reports were related to illegal investments. The authority also blocked 242 illegal investment offers on several websites and apps that could harm the public.

At the same time, 228 bank accounts or virtual accounts are believed to be involved in illegal financial activities. The OJK has already notified the banks to proceed with the freeze.

To combat these illegal activities, the OJK will soon launch the Anti-Scam Center (ASC) as a centralized platform to handle fraud cases. However, the exact date of its launch has not yet been announced. “The Pasti working group is intensively preparing the systems and infrastructure that will be used for the ASC,” she added.

The launch of the ASC will take place soon in order to accelerate the blocking of fraudsters’ accounts and identify the perpetrators more quickly. It is hoped that legal action will be taken and the remaining funds returned to victims, provided they report quickly via the platform.

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