Black Dollar Scam Exposed, Two Liberian Nationals Arrested by Police in West Jakarta

JAKARTA - Two Liberian nationals were arrested by police for allegedly being involved in a scam using the black dollar modus operandi in the Meruya area, Kembangan, West Jakarta, on Wednesday (18/3/2026). The arrests were made following a report from a victim who claimed to have suffered losses due to the fraudulent practice. The Deputy Head of Public Information for the Metro Jaya Police Public Relations Division, Kompol Andaru Rahutomo, stated that the two suspects were secured while they were in an apartment in the Meruya area. “There was a report from the victim. They were detained on 18 March in an apartment in Meruya,” Andaru told Kompas.com on Thursday (26/3/2026). Andaru did not detail the amount of losses suffered by the victim or the roles of each suspect in this case. “It will be released by the West Jakarta Police. That’s it for now,” he said. Based on the arrest video received by Kompas.com, the two men appeared cooperative during interrogation by police officers. In their practice, the suspects typically show sheets of black or dark-coloured paper claimed to be dollar bills “disguised” using certain chemicals to avoid detection during checks by Immigration and Customs officials. The suspects then convince the victim that the money can be restored to genuine currency using a special liquid. To prove it, the suspects usually perform a demonstration by washing one or two sheets until they appear like genuine dollar bills. Once the victim believes, the suspects will ask for a sum of money under the pretext of buying additional chemicals or unlocking all the sheets of money. However, after the victim hands over the money, the suspects usually disappear or provide results that do not match the promise, because essentially the sheets are not genuine money.