Free internet service hoax spreads in Indonesia during Ramadan

Published on February 26, 2026 at 05:39
Updated on February 26, 2026 at 06:25
2 min read
By AFP Indonesia

As Muslim-majority Indonesia began observing the holy month of Ramadan, hoax social media posts surfaced offering free internet service for the duration of the month. The posts in fact ask users to submit their personal data and are not affiliated with the government's official programme providing Internet access to Indonesians.

"Internet access becomes easier – free for you during Ramadan!" reads the Indonesian-language caption of a Facebook post dated February 20, 2026.

The post features a link to a website offering free internet access. To access the service, users are first required to enter their name and phone number -- information that could potentially be used for phishing scams (archived link).

"Stay connected with a stable digital connection without paying upfront. This program is available to the entire public," the post continues.

Screenshot of false post taken on February 24, 2026, with a red X mark added by AFP

The Financial Services Authority warned Indonesians to be cautious of scams during Ramadan, when transactions tended to increase as people wanted to help others in need while also making purchases in preparation to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month (archived here and here).

Similar posts misled users on TikTok and Facebook, with users saying they received no response after filling out the form provided.

"I already filled it out, but there was no follow-up," one said.

"I tried to register, but it didn’t work," wrote another.

The posts in fact redirect users to websites unaffiliated with the Indonesian government's official free internet scheme (archived link).

Keyword searches found the scheme's official Instagram account warned users of the hoax (archived link).

"Make sure to enter your subscription data for Internet Rakyat only through the website internetrakyat.id," the post states.

Screenshot of the Internet Rakyat Instagram story warning about the free Internet scam, taken February 25, 2026

After registering, users can apply to access the "Internet Rakyat" service in their area by paying approximately US$6 per month, with the first month free of charge (archived link). However, the service is currently available only in certain regions of Indonesia, including Java, Maluku, and Papua.

Earlier in December 2025, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs debunked a similar phishing scam offering three months of free internet access (archived link).

AFP has debunked numerous scam-related misinformation cases in Indonesia.

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