Being scammed by a crook is one of the most embarrassing things a person can admit to - out to get drunk and sleep with a transvestite. Some victims of scams insist they were hypnotized, rather than confess that they were deceived.
There are four main types of scams: get rich quick, persuasion, extortion and online. The authors rely on the gullibility and either greed, fear or compassion. Their skill chef earns the trust of those they target, hence the term "con".
Here are some scams Jakarta who rely on the greed of victims.
Black Money
A scammer shows a person a full case of "US dollars that have been dyed black to avoid detection by customs." A few pieces of paper are washed with a chemical "expensive" (actually water mixed with vitamin C) to dissolve the "ink" (tincture of iodine cheap and glue), revealing blank US $ 100 tickets. The victims then give millions of rupees to the scammer to buy more special chemical but it never happens. Often they are left holding the bag worthless black "money", which is building paper or just plain paper put through a photocopier with the screen facing up.
Discount Flights SMS
A businessman receives an SMS informing a promotional discount of 60% on Garuda flight from Jakarta to Bali . Unable to resist such a case, he called the "travel agent" and 10 pounds cash back, planning to take a group of friends at a tennis tournament on the resort island. The con artist takes the list of names, reserve tickets with Garuda and sends a link to the official website indicating the flights were booked. The businessman is then responsible for making payment to the bank account of the false agent. When the victim and his friends show up at the airport, they informed the tickets were reserved in effect, but never paid.
money grows on trees?
A gang of Jakarta managed to swindle more rp.1 billion ($ 100,000) of dozens of people who believed that the leaves could be turned into money. Scammers observed streets and hotels for the victims, inviting them to respond to a "holy man" who could raise money by ten. Inside a hotel room, the leader of the gang would perform a magic trick hand tricks: changing a sheet in a score of 50,000 or 100,000 Rupiah. Then he poured "magic oil" in a bucket leaves it covered with a white cloth and muttered spiritual incantations. The bucket was then discovered to be money (previously hidden in the fabric). The victims were informed of magic could be repeated if they have paid for more magic oil. A Shill (a gang member posing as an enthusiastic customer) encouraged them to join him to withdraw their savings to buy as much oil as possible. In return, they received a sealed bag of leaves sprinkled with oil, wrapped in a prayer mat, who told them to remain closed for at least four days for the magic happens. When the victims realized they had been duped, the gang had evolved.
Has anyone tried to rip you in Indonesia? Send your experiences to jakartascambuster@gmail.com for inclusion in future columns. No names will be printed.