OJK Orders Banks to Block 10,000 Gambling-Linked Accounts

Jakarta, VIVA – The Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK) has shut down up to 3,240 illegal financial entities in November 2024.

"The OJK has shut down 3,240 illegal financial entities, consisting of 2,930 illegal online lending entities and 310 illegal investment offers, using websites and applications that have the potential to harm the public," Mahendra Siregar, the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority said at the 2024 World Anti-Corruption Day event in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 17).

"Apart from the potential losses to the public, these are illegal and unlicensed platforms and entities," he remarked.

Siregar emphasized that the OJK has also requested banks to block nearly 10,000 bank accounts affiliated with online gambling, as well as various other accounts.

This is an effort to deepen enhanced due diligence on such accounts.

In an effort to increase the eradication of such illegal activities, Mahendra ensured that the OJK has now authorized the Task Force for the Eradication of Illegal Financial Activities in the regions, to strive for more massive socialization and faster handling.

Through cooperation with law enforcement officials and related ministries/institutions as well as the media and the public, the OJK has also just formed the Indonesia Anti-Scam Center.

Its task is to handle fraud or external scams that use bank accounts or banking products.

"So, it can be handled more quickly, and immediately have a real impact," Siregar remarked.

He admitted that he realized that these steps were certainly very important, as part of an effort to eradicate corruption, fraud, and scams, which are certainly very disturbing.

Because, the integrity of Indonesia's financial services industry requires a high level of public trust in the industry and its regulators, he remarked.

"We must certainly carry out these efforts together, and we would like to express our gratitude that in every initiative and activity of the various steps that we have mentioned earlier, the activity and participation of all stakeholders in the financial services industry have been very good," he concluded.