Immigration authorities in Denpasar arrested three Indian nationals on for allegedly producing and selling fake Canadian visas and immigration documents.
“They committed fraud through a scamming scheme. They offered visa services, tickets, and immigration documents for Canada,” said Denpasar Immigration Chief Ridha Sah Putra at a press conference on 4 February 2025.
The three individuals had been in Indonesia for just two weeks. They entered the country using an investor’s limited stay permit (ITAS) and a visa on arrival (VOA). Instead of engaging in tourism, authorities say they operated a fraudulent scheme.
Targeting Fellow Indians via Video Calls
The suspects primarily targeted fellow Indian nationals in India. They convinced their victims through video calls, during which they displayed fake Canadian visas and immigration documents.
“The perpetrators video-called their victims, persuading them that they could issue official documents for Canada, provided the victims transferred a sum of money,” Ridha explained.
Nine victims in India fell for the scam, suffering total financial losses of approximately Rp 5 billion.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine whether the suspects were working with a larger network. Initial interrogations revealed that the trio chose Bali as their base of operations to avoid detection.
“We are still investigating whether they had other accomplices,” Ridha said.
