Thesis
Too-good-to-be-true schemes in Indonesia rarely look like obvious scams at the beginning. They usually look like side jobs, e-commerce, AI server rental, media agency projects, trading bots, crypto, koperasi, or community business. The common thread is simple: the promised payout is easier to explain from new deposits than from real customer revenue.
This article is defensive research for Apple Ventures. Do not copy the mechanics. Use it to build filters, due diligence rules, and safer UMKM products.
Pattern 1: E-commerce wrapper
The user is told there is a shopping, group-buying, order-boosting, or merchant task system. The app looks like commerce, but the money flow is deposit first, reward later. If the reward is not funded by real consumer demand, it is not commerce; it is a financial scheme wearing a marketplace costume.
Case note: Satgas PAKI informed the revocation of PT FEC Shopping Indonesia or Future E-Commerce license in September 2023 while blocking illegal financial offers.
Source: OJK - FEC Shopping Indonesia
Pattern 2: Part-time job with deposit
The hook is work-from-home income: like posts, rate merchants, download apps, complete missions, subscribe, or join a team. Victims get small early payouts. Then the required task value rises and withdrawal depends on extra deposits.
Case note: Satgas PASTI stopped BBH Indonesia and Smart Wallet in March 2024. OJK said BBH Indonesia impersonated Bartle Bogle Hegarty, offered daily income, asked for deposits, used member-get-member mechanics, and promised tiered bonuses.
Source: OJK - BBH Indonesia and Smart Wallet
Pattern 3: AI or server-rental passive income
AI branding makes an old pitch feel modern. The offer can be server rental, bot rental, arbitrage, automated content, or machine income. The core question is not whether AI exists. The question is who pays, why they pay, what margin exists, and why the return is fixed.
Case note: Satgas PASTI blocked PT Xpertise Future Analytics Indonesia or XFA AI in October 2024. OJK said the entity claimed a server-rental business and promised high returns in a short time.
Source: OJK - XFA AI
Pattern 4: Impersonation of famous brands
Scammers borrow trust from a known company, agency, exchange, bank, or public figure. They use similar logos, domain names, WhatsApp groups, fake certificates, or app names. The victim thinks the brand is real; the operator is not.
Case note: Satgas PASTI stopped fake Omnicom Group or OMC activity in July 2025. OJK said the activity impersonated the real Omnicom Group and indicated fraud without proper permits.
Source: OJK - OMC Palsu
Less popular but dangerous red flags
- Small Telegram group with admin claiming limited quota.
- Job offer that requires deposit before earning.
- Return stated per day, not per product sold.
- Withdrawal blocked until user completes bigger mission.
- Legal proof is only NIB, PSE, SIUP, or domain registration.
- Bonus from inviting friends is larger than margin from sales.
- AI, server, crypto, or export words are used but no customer invoice is shown.
- Founder identity is hidden behind admin and leader layers.
Apple Ventures policy
Reject any project that has fixed return, deposit-before-work, withdrawal gates, fake brand association, unclear licenses, or referral payout funded by deposits. If a project uses AI, ask for real customer invoices and gross margin. If a project uses e-commerce, ask whether goods are truly bought by outside customers, not circular transactions between members.
The safest rule: if the business disappears when recruiting stops, it is not a business.