Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Yogyakarta police have uncovered a cross-border online romance scam operating from the city, revealing how local workers were employed by overseas operators, including Chinese-linked entities, to target victims in Western countries through dating applications.

Police said the scam was run out of an office belonging to Altair Trans Service, a labor services company based in Sleman regency, on the outskirts of the city. Six people have been named suspects for their roles in organizing and managing the operation.

Authorities raided the office on Monday, following public complaints, police said on Wednesday. The investigation revealed that employees were hired to pose as women on Chinese-developed dating apps and engage foreign users in prolonged online conversations designed to extract money.

“The operation involved employees acting as chat administrators who deceived victims into purchasing digital coins and gifts,” Yogyakarta Police Chief Commissioner Eva Guna Pandia told reporters. “These activities were coordinated from Indonesia but targeted users abroad.”

According to police, the victims came primarily from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, underscoring the increasingly transnational nature of online fraud networks operating out of Southeast Asia.

How the Scam Worked
Investigators said Altair Trans Service functioned as a local recruitment hub for foreign-linked digital platforms. The company supplied workers, devices, and pre-installed applications, allegedly under instructions from overseas clients, including app owners based in China.

Employees were assigned to manage chat accounts using fake female identities tailored to the nationality of each target. The devices contained preloaded photos and videos, including pornographic material, which were gradually shared to build emotional attachment and entice victims to spend more money.

“To unlock certain content or continue interactions, victims were persuaded to buy virtual coins or send digital gifts through the app,” Eva said. “Those coins were later converted into cash and funneled to designated parties, including company managers and foreign-linked accounts.”

Police seized dozens of laptops and mobile phones during the raid, along with surveillance cameras and WiFi equipment used to support the operation. Forensic examinations found that the devices contained explicit images and videos used as bait in the scheme.

Six individuals have been charged, including the alleged local head of operations and several managers. They include a 35-year-old man identified as R, described as the Indonesia-based CEO or owner; a 33-year-old woman identified as H, who served as head of human resources; two project managers; and two team leaders responsible for supervising daily chat operations.

Authorities also questioned 64 employees who worked as chat agents. While most are currently classified as witnesses, police said further charges could follow as the investigation continues.

The suspects face multiple charges under Indonesia’s criminal code, including fraud, pornography offenses and violations of the country’s Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) law. If convicted, they could face prison sentences ranging from six months to 10 years.