ASIATODAY.ID, BANGKOK – Indonesia has strongly condemned the rapid expansion of online scams, declaring them organized crimes against humanity and a serious threat to regional and global human security.
The firm stance was delivered by Indonesia’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, during the High-Level Session of the International Conference on Global Partnership against Online Scams in Bangkok on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
“Online scams have evolved from isolated criminal acts into large-scale, industrialized, and highly organized transnational crimes. This is no longer merely a law enforcement challenge—it is a human security crisis with profound regional and global implications,” Arrmanatha stressed.
Indonesia warned that technology-enabled transnational crime has reached an alarming level of sophistication, exploiting regulatory gaps and vulnerable populations across borders.
Over the past year alone, Indonesia recorded financial losses amounting to USD 474 million as a result of online fraud schemes.
Beyond economic damage, the Vice Minister highlighted the severe humanitarian dimension of these crimes.
Between 2021 and 2025, more than 12,000 Indonesian nationals were affected, many of whom became victims of human trafficking and were coerced into committing crimes inside online scam centers across Southeast Asia—a practice widely referred to as forced criminality.
“Turning a blind eye to these crimes is tantamount to allowing modern-day slavery to flourish in the digital age. No country can confront this threat alone,” Arrmanatha asserted.
Indonesia called for urgent and coordinated global action, outlining three priority areas.
First, strengthened cross-border law enforcement cooperation, including real-time intelligence sharing and joint operations to dismantle organized criminal networks.
Second, enhanced financial and cyber collaboration, involving financial intelligence units and digital regulators to disrupt illicit financial flows.
Third, a victim-centered approach, ensuring protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration for survivors.
Indonesia emphasized that existing multilateral frameworks—including the Bali Process, ASEAN, and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)—must be fully leveraged to confront the threat.
“Indifference empowers criminals. International solidarity is the only path to security,” the Vice Minister concluded.
The conference was jointly organized by the Royal Thai Government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), aiming to establish a Global Partnership against Online Scams.
The meeting brought together ministers and senior officials from 40 countries, alongside representatives from international organizations, civil society, and the private sector. (AT Network)
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