Medan, April 1, 2024. PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) takes theft of XL Home STB devices seriously and is committed to supporting the police in combating fraud and theft syndicates posing as XL Home officers. Recently, the North Sumatra Regional Police, with the help of the Criminal Investigation Unit, successfully apprehended fraudsters operating in Medan and Binjai in January 2024.
During the operation, the police arrested individuals involved in embezzlement, fraud, and illegal use of STB and ONT XL Home devices in Medan and Binjai. Among the suspects were four individuals posing as XL Home officers, identified as HFD, EH, PYS, and PJ, along with one accomplice, KJP. The police seized a total of 15 STB and ONT units as evidence, leading to the arrest of five suspects in the case.
Head of Sub-Directorate III Jatanras Polda North Sumatra, Kompol Bayu Putra Samara, S.I.K., M.H. stated, "Our team made arrests based on reports from the community to XL Axiata partner employees regarding individuals posing as XL Home officers attempting to take STB devices under false pretenses. This report gained credibility with video evidence of the fake officer taking the STB. The North Sumatra Regional Police acknowledges the collaboration with XL Axiata, which facilitated coordination with local authorities upon discovering the fraud.”
Kompol Bayu also explained that upon initial investigation, his team discovered that the four suspects' method of fraud involved posing as XL Home officers visiting customers' homes. Using fake XL Home ID cards, they inquired about extending internet services. If the payment wasn't made, they confiscated the XL Home device and terminated the subscription. The suspects face charges of Theft, Fraud, and Detention, with potential prison sentences of up to 7 and 4 years, respectively.
This criminal activity, targeting several XL Home customers' homes in Medan and Binjai, has disrupted XL Axiata's commitment to delivering top-notch telecommunication services, despite customers not incurring material losses.
The police are currently investigating to gather more information about the case, including whether the perpetrators were part of a syndicate and if similar incidents happened in other areas.
Reza Mirza, XL Axiata's Group Head of Corporate Communications, stated, "On behalf of PT XL Axiata Tbk, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the North Sumatra Regional Police for promptly responding to reports of alleged fraud and unauthorized device device removals in the North Sumatra region. We hope this arrest will uncover the full extent of criminal activities that have disrupted XL Home services in Medan City and Binjai City."
Reza emphasized that although the customer was not materially harmed in this instance, they were deceived by the perpetrators. XL Axiata is firmly dedicated to safeguarding customers from telecommunications and data service-related crimes. Therefore, XL Axiata encourages customers to promptly report any suspicions of crime, such as fraud, to the police or through customer service numbers: 820 (for XL users) and 08170123442 (for non-XL users). Reports will be promptly addressed, including being forwarded to the police.
In the cases in Medan and Binjai, the perpetrators not only stole XL Home STB and ONT devices but also deceived numerous XL Home customers. Such actions severely tarnish the company's reputation, as XL Axiata has strived to uphold public trust and its good name.
Fraud Prevention Tips
To prevent future crimes, XL Axiata advises XL Home or XL SATU Fiber customers to: