Detectives baffled by fraud cases

JAKARTA (JP): City police banking crime detectives are handling two fraud cases, which have led two banks here to transfer hundreds of millions of rupiah to certain bank accounts based solely on transfer orders faxed by the suspects.

Detectives are still questioning two suspects in the first case, who ordered the transfer of Rp 220 million from an account at the Tanjung Priok office of state Bank Mandiri into another account at the Gatot Subroto office of the same bank, on April 28 this year.

A detective who requested anonymity identified the suspects as Muhamad Ismu YL, alias Satryo Sumantri, alias Iman Manan Sastro, and Burhan.

The suspects had faxed a fake transfer order, allegedly authorized by Tanjung Priok seaport authority PT Persero Pelindo II, to the bank's Tanjung Priok office.

"On Monday, both suspects were apprehended by security officers at the Gatot Subroto office of Bank Mandiri thanks to the bank's alertness," the detective said.

Quoting the police report, the detective said that Ari's office had received a fax on April 28 requesting the transfer of Rp 220 million, from account number 009-010-28042, under the name of PT Persero Pelindo II, to account number 070-090-0000-91236, under the name of Iman Manan Sastro.

"The bank transferred the money with ease," he said.

"The bank received a rude shock, when the Pelindo II guys informed the bank that it had never ordered out the transfer."

Luckily, the same suspects got greedy and on May 1, Ari's office received another request for the transfer of Rp 250 million from Pelindo II's account, to account number 075-042- 45093, under the name of Satryo Sumantri.

"The bank informed the suspects that the transfer was successful and told them to go to the Gatot Subroto office to withdraw the money, where suspects were later arrested," he said.

A similar case was lodged on Wednesday by an employee of Bank Duta, identified as only D.A.

He said that on Feb. 23 this year, the bank had received a transfer order via fax, allegedly authorized by PT Gunung Agung, to transfer to Rp 500 million from the company's account into a Bank International Indonesia (BII) bank account under the name of one of the suspects.

"Bank Duta transferred the money the very same day. On March 9, PT Gunung Agung complained of the 'loss' to Bank Duta, and both parties found out that they had been duped," the detective said. (ylt)