Indonesia’s financial intelligence agency has frozen over 28,000 bank accounts as part of a sweeping crackdown on illegal online gambling and other criminal activities. The action, led by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), targets dormant and fraud-linked accounts across the country.
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- Accounts were flagged for ties to gambling, cybercrime, drug trafficking, and fraud.
- Many suspended accounts had been dormant or illegally traded.
- Customers can reactivate frozen accounts through their banks.
PPATK Chief Ivan Yustiavandana confirmed the mass freeze in a statement issued Sunday, noting that many of the affected accounts had been long dormant or illegally bought and sold before being used for suspicious activity. “In accordance with our authority under Law No. 8 of 2010, PPATK has carried out temporary suspensions of customer transactions involving accounts classified as dormant, based on banking data,” Yustiavandana explained.
The agency said the effort is part of a broader campaign to protect the financial system from abuse and maintain public trust. Though online gambling was the focus, many of the frozen accounts were allegedly involved in money laundering linked to other crimes, including fraud and narcotics distribution.
Inactive accounts, according to PPATK, are increasingly used by criminal groups looking to hide money flows and avoid detection. This tactic has made dormant accounts a common target for financial exploitation.
The freeze has sparked public reaction, with some social media users claiming their accounts were suspended without notice. One of the most widely discussed cases involves Andrew Darwis, founder of the popular Indonesian online forum Kaskus, whose bank account was temporarily disabled during the enforcement sweep.
Despite the disruptions, Yustiavandana reassured the public that account balances are safe. He encouraged affected customers to reach out to their banks and complete verification procedures to restore access. “They may reactivate their accounts by contacting their respective banks and following the required procedures,” he said.
To prevent future abuse, PPATK has urged Indonesians to close bank accounts they no longer use and to avoid sharing personal banking information with unfamiliar parties. The agency also recommends reporting suspicious activity to banks or law enforcement without delay.
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