Age No Barrier: Scams Impersonating Customs Using Romance Tactics Can Target Anyone
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Scams impersonating Customs using romance tactics have once again been making waves on social media in recent weeks. An elderly woman is believed to have been befriended by someone claiming to be from Australia. That individual claimed to have sent various gifts from abroad, such as bags, gold, shoes, dolls, and other items.
However, after some time, the victim was contacted by another party claiming to be an expedition officer. The individual stated that the gift package was held by Customs and needed to be redeemed with a certain amount of fees.
The victim was then asked to transfer money in stages. From a total fee demanded of Rp 120 million, the victim had sent Rp 16 million as “initial payment”. Even because she was unable to pay the full amount demanded by the perpetrator, the victim handed over important documents in the form of a land deed with an original Certificate of Ownership (SHM) as collateral for the shipment of the gifts.
The victim’s initiative to send the land deed brought those important documents to the Customs office. Armed with information from the sender’s address of the package, Customs officers visited the victim’s home and conducted a brief interview. Based on the victim’s confession, the officers concluded that there were indications of a scam impersonating Customs and a shipping company.
Common Characteristics of Scams Using Romance Tactics
The romance tactic is actually not new, but it keeps recurring with almost similar patterns. Perpetrators exploit emotional closeness to lower the victim’s guard.
To avoid becoming a victim, the public needs to recognise several common characteristics of scams using this romance tactic, including:
Perpetrators use social media to build closeness with potential victims;
Perpetrators claim to send high-value items from abroad, such as luxury goods, cash, or other valuable items;
There is another party claiming to be a Customs or expedition officer stating that the goods are held and the victim is asked to send a large amount of money that keeps increasing; and
Perpetrators ask the victim to send money to a personal bank account accompanied by threats to play on the victim’s psychology.