Government / Benefits

The Fake Kartu Prakerja Selection Notice

Attackers exploit the popularity of Kartu Prakerja, Indonesia's government skills and incentive program, to harvest personal data or extract fake fees. This walkthrough is a fictional, illustrative example built for training.

The scenario

A WhatsApp message or SMS announces that the recipient has been 'selected' as a Kartu Prakerja beneficiary in the latest batch (gelombang). It congratulates them and includes an official-looking reference number to build credibility.

The message directs the recipient to a link to 'confirm' their participation before a deadline. The link points to a lookalike site resembling prakerja.go.id, sometimes with a similar logo and layout but a different domain such as prakerja-daftar.info or a shortened URL.

The fake site asks for the recipient's NIK (national ID number), Kartu Keluarga (family card) number, phone number, and bank or e-wallet account details, supposedly to disburse the incentive. Some versions add a request to pay a small 'activation' or 'administration' fee first.

Once submitted, the attacker holds enough identity data to attempt account takeover, register services in the victim's name, or resell the data. Any 'fee' paid goes straight to the fraudster, and no incentive ever arrives.

Red flags to spot

You are asked to pay a fee to receive the incentive

The real Kartu Prakerja program never charges applicants a fee. Any request for an activation or administration payment is a clear sign of fraud.

The link is not the official prakerja.go.id domain

Official program communication and registration happen only on prakerja.go.id. A lookalike domain with extra words or a different extension is an impersonation.

Selection announced by WhatsApp or SMS with a link

Program status is confirmed by logging into your own account on the official dashboard, not through an unsolicited message pushing you to a link.

Requests for NIK, KK, and bank details together

Bundling your national ID, family card, and financial details in one form gives an attacker everything needed for identity fraud.

A deadline that pressures you to act immediately

Artificial urgency is designed to stop you from checking your status the safe way, by logging in to the official site yourself.

The lesson

Never confirm program selection or enter personal data through a link in an unsolicited message. Open a browser and type prakerja.go.id yourself, then log in to your own account to check your batch status. The program is free: it will never ask you to pay an activation or administration fee, and no legitimate benefit requires you to hand over your NIK, KK, and bank details through a chat link. If a message claims you were selected, verify it only on the official site, and report suspicious messages to your security team.

These are illustrative examples built for training purposes only, not real messages sent by Claro or any actual organization.

Frequently asked questions

  • No. The program is free. Any message asking for an activation, administration, or processing fee is fraudulent.

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