Job seekers in Indonesia are facing a dramatically increased risk of fraud, with teh country identified as a key target for complex scams. New data from leading job platform SEEK reveals Indonesia accounts for over a third of attempted scams in the Asia-Pacific region and the majority of job-related fraud originating in Asia. Released during International Fraud Awareness Week, the findings highlight a worrying trend of escalating deception, particularly targeting those early in their careers, and a concerning link to organized crime.This report details the specific job categories most at risk and outlines how scammers are adapting their tactics.
Jakarta –
Job search platform SEEK, parent company of Jobstreet and Jobsdb, has identified a surge in fraudulent job postings across the Asia-Pacific region, with Indonesia emerging as a major hotspot. The company’s latest findings, released during International Fraud Awareness Week, reveal that Indonesia accounts for 38% of all attempted scams in the Asia-Pacific area and 62% of job-related fraud originating in Asia.
SEEK’s fraud detection systems tracked evolving targeting patterns between July 2024 and June 2025, highlighting the increasing sophistication of scammers.
Entry-level positions, particularly in Administration & Office Support, are being disproportionately targeted. This category represents 29% of all fake job listings in Asia, significantly higher than the 17% observed in Australia and New Zealand. This trend underscores the vulnerability of job seekers early in their careers.
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“We are seeing these fraudsters become increasingly sophisticated in how they target different markets,” said Tom Rhind, Head of Trust & Safety at SEEK, in a statement released Thursday, November 20, 2025.
“They are adapting their approach to target job types and industries where job seekers are most vulnerable.”
Willem Najoan, Operations Director for Indonesia at Jobstreet by SEEK, expressed concern over the escalating number of scams.
“SEEK’s findings identifying Indonesia as a key target for job scams are deeply concerning and underscore the urgency of the situation,” Najoan stated. “We are no longer simply talking about financial losses, but also serious security risks, as job scams have evolved into a gateway for organized crime, such as human trafficking.”
Most Frequently Faked Job Categories
As of October 2025, the five job categories most frequently targeted by fraudulent listings in Indonesia are:
Administration & Office Support (39.36%)
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (21.06%)
Retail & Consumer Products (12.23%)
Trades & Services (7.98%)
Hospitality & Tourism (5.74%)
Administration & Office Support roles, particularly those for online store administrators, e-commerce assistants, and data entry clerks, are the most commonly faked. Positions within warehouse operations in the Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics sector are also heavily targeted. The prevalence of these scams highlights the need for increased vigilance among job seekers.
“Entry-level positions like those in Administration & Office Support and Sales are particularly vulnerable,” explained Tom Rhind. “When combined, these categories create a large pool of potential victims, making it easier for perpetrators to spread convincing-looking fake job postings.”
(fdl/fdl)
