Deceptive Man Posing as Student Rents Decoration Vendor's Goods, Victim Loses Rp 65 Million

TANGERANG SELATAN - Trust in a man claiming to be a student ended bitterly for Siti Fatimah (40). The owner of a decoration vendor in East Ciputat had to bear losses of around Rp 65 million after 120 chairs and three blowers belonging to her disappeared in a scam disguised as a rental for an outreach event.

The order initially came via a WhatsApp message on Thursday (30/4/2026) in the early hours. In the conversation, the perpetrator claimed to need 170 Futura chairs and three blowers for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme outreach activity on Jalan Semanggi II, Cempaka Putih, East Ciputat. The perpetrator even assured that payment would be made after the goods arrived at the location.

“He said, ‘Goods arrive, payment disbursed immediately’,” said Fatimah when met at Polsek Ciputat Timur on Saturday (2/5/2026).

It was this that made Fatimah admit she had no suspicions at all about the perpetrator.

“He said, ‘I’m a UIN student.’ So I just trusted him,” she said.

Fatimah then prepared workers to deliver the order. She even went along herself because the perpetrator was a new customer who had not provided a down payment.

Around 11.20 WIB, three pickup trucks carried the chairs and blowers to the location specified by the perpetrator. The first truck carried the blowers, the second brought about 120 chairs, and the third carried the remaining chairs.

However, until all the goods were unloaded, the perpetrator did not show up at the location.