Two overseas employment fraud cases under investigation in Bali

In brief: At a press conference on 21 October 2026, Bali police outlined two alleged online fraud cases involving employment and immigration promises overseas. Two suspects had been detained, and the losses reported by investigators totalled Rp313,149,684.

A Korean visa promise followed by 56 transfers

The larger case concerns an Indonesian national already employed in South Korea. According to Bali's cybercrime police, contact began through TikTok on 19 July 2025. A purported intermediary offered to help the worker move from an E-9 employment visa to F-2 long-term residence status and switch from the fishing sector to another job. The discussions later continued on WhatsApp, with claims that a lawyer in Korea could handle the paperwork.

The requests for payment multiplied. Identity documents, notarial work, immigration fees and even apartment rent were cited as reasons to send more money. Police say 56 transfers were made by June 2026, adding up to Rp295,149,684. The visa change and job move allegedly never materialised.

Those proposed immigration arrangements are part of the suspect's alleged pitch. The police account does not establish that the individual qualified for the change of status being offered.

The Australian offer was linked to a tattoo event

In the second case, someone seeking work in Australia encountered an offer through a Facebook group in November 2024. The contact said the applicant could take the place of a person who had withdrawn from a trip connected with Tattoo Expo. After the conversation moved to WhatsApp, the contact requested Rp18 million for registration and travel administration.

According to investigators, the applicant paid in instalments but never received the promised departure. The suspect in that case was detained in Jembrana, Bali, on 5 October 2026. A separate suspect was detained in connection with the South Korean case. Police presented both investigations in Denpasar on 21 October, following complaints lodged in September.

Both individuals were reported to be in custody while the investigations continued. The financial amounts and alleged conduct reflect the police account, not a court finding of guilt or a final judicial determination of losses.

A recruitment offer is not permission to work

Neither case began with a direct approach from a verified employer. The offers were made on social media, continued through private messages and prompted payments before the promised outcome could be confirmed. That pattern warrants scrutiny, although using online messages or requesting payment is not, on its own, evidence of a crime.

For Indonesian migrant workers, the government's SISKOP2MI service provides listings of licensed overseas recruitment companies, known as P3MI, and published vacancies. Visa entitlement is a separate matter. Australia's Department of Home Affairs states that visitor visas and Electronic Travel Authorities (ETAs) do not permit employment. An event invitation cannot override those restrictions.

A prospective worker can compare the proposed employer, recruiter's licensing status, written agreement and requested fees with independent official information before transferring money. Anyone who has already paid under a questionable offer should retain payment records and messages that may support a report to the authorities.