Jakarta. Twelve unsuspecting job applicants have handed over personal data and copies of their identity cards, only to find themselves indebted by over Rp 1 billion (around $61,500) from online lenders, police said on Tuesday.

The scam is new to the Jakarta Police, who are now investigating the case.

“The accused allegedly offered jobs and a prize draw at a cellphone outlet to the applicants,” Jakarta Police spokesman Chief Comr. Ade Ary Syam Indradi told reporters.

The applicants were asked to provide their ID cards and selfie photos, which were later misused by the recruiter to borrow money from several lending apps, Ade explained.

The suspect is a salesperson at a cellphone counter in a shopping mall in Cililitan, East Jakarta.

One of the victims, who identified himself only as Lutfi, said the recruiter asked the applicants to lend their cellphones.

“He secretly installed lending apps on our cellphones without our consent,” Lutfi said.

The applicants ended up as borrowers with varying amounts from Rp 25 million to Rp 300 million. The suspect allegedly also made purchases using the applicants’ identities.

“We have never investigated such a case before,” said Armunanto Hutahaean, head of the criminal investigation unit of the East Jakarta Municipal Police.

Add as a preferred source on Google +