Hundreds Scammed by Fake Cash-for-Reading App in Sapeken Islands

Residents Were Even Lured By Offers Of "Fast-track Investments" That Claimed To Double The Money In Just 3-10 Days

kandidat-kandidat.com - Wed, July 2nd, 2025, 15:52 NurM SidRiz

 SUMENEP, Indonesia — In a troubling case of digital-age fraud, hundreds of residents from the remote Sapeken Islands in East Java, Indonesia, have fallen victim to a mobile application scam that promised daily earnings in exchange for reading digital novels.

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The app, named Criticism, claimed users could earn up to IDR 13,000 (less than $1) per day by reading a novel for just 15 seconds per title. To participate, users were required to deposit a minimum of IDR 400,000 ($24) as a so-called “reading capital.” The more they invested, the more books they could read—and the more profit they were told they could earn.

The operation bore the hallmarks of a classic Ponzi scheme, with features that mimicked multi-level marketing (MLM) strategies. Participants were encouraged to recruit others as downlines in return for additional bonuses.

Some residents were even lured by offers of "fast-track investments" that claimed to double their money in just 3 to 10 days.

The scheme was introduced to Sapeken by a local resident identified as "H", who allegedly acted as the community-level coordinator.

The app quickly spread across neighboring islands, including Sepangkur Kecil, as word-of-mouth and WhatsApp groups fueled its popularity.

Desperation Breeds Risk
Drawn by the promise of quick returns, many residents sold livestock or pawned personal property to come up with deposits ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of rupiah.

Initial payouts and visible increases in account balances lent credibility to the platform.

But within months, the app ceased functioning entirely. Users were locked out, and attempts to withdraw funds failed.

Online support vanished. Chat groups turned into echo chambers of outrage and regret.

Blame and Silence
When pressed by angry locals, H claimed to be a victim as well, asserting that he merely relayed instructions from a figure known as “Amina London,” allegedly the app’s central coordinator based in Jakarta.

“I was scammed too,” H told residents seeking accountability. His statement, however, did little to ease public anger or restore lost trust.

As of publication, no formal police reports have been filed, and no refunds have been issued. The Criticism app has disappeared without a trace—its digital footprints erased like waves on the shoreline.

Residents are now left staring at empty phone screens and grappling with the consequences of a misplaced trust.

Reported by: NMR