Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) used its OJK Teaches program in Surakarta to emphasize budgeting, understanding financial products before investing and protection against digital fraud. Juda Agung, an ex officio member of OJK’s Board of Commissioners representing the Ministry of Finance, addressed more than 400 students at State Senior High School 4 Surakarta on Nov. 12.
His advice focused on distinguishing needs from wants, keeping spending within available funds and saving regularly. Investment decisions should reflect an understanding of product characteristics and risks rather than trends or other people’s gains. For digital financial services, students should assess benefits, costs and obligations alongside risks. The “Legal and Logical” principle calls for checking providers’ licenses and whether promised returns are reasonable, including when offers come from friends or relatives.
The fraud warnings covered illegal investments and online lending, as well as phishing and social engineering designed to obtain personal information or account access. Protective steps include keeping personal data, passwords and PINs confidential and avoiding links or files from unknown sources. Victims should immediately stop transactions, contact their bank to secure their accounts and report the incident to OJK.