Fake pay slips used in credit card

JAKARTA: Police arrested three suspects on allegations that they made fake pay slips for housewives, the jobless and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers who applied for credit cards.

The suspects -- Sugeng Martono, 35, Robintang M. Mahulae, 32, and Hilman, 37 -- were arrested on Tuesday night after Jakarta Police received reports from state bank BNI, which has suffered Rp 14 million (US$1,569) in losses.

The suspects offered their services in January to at least five people. They claimed they could help them apply for credit cards in return for a "placement fee" of Rp 200,000 per card approval.

"They required their clients to submit a copy of their ID card for the application. The suspects later made fake pay slips for them, based on the ID cards, to make it appear that they worked for a fake company, PT Josumhill Big Chemical, Jl. Raya Legenda No. 1, Tambun, Bekasi," city police fiscal and monetary division chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Dharma Pongrekun said on Wednesday.

In February, the fake company received five credit cards issued by BNI for five customers, identified as Zaenal Abidin, Nurlidya, Denny Wahyu Hidayat, Eneng Badriah and Neny Kelanawati.

On the completed application forms, the suspects stated that the five were employees of the fake company. For instance, Neni, a housewife, was claimed to be an accountant whose monthly salary was Rp 3.1 million.

When the credit card was issued, Neny had to pay a Rp 280,000 "commission" to the syndicate. She had a Rp 4 million credit limit on her card.

The scam was revealed when the card holders did not repay the required minimum amount to the bank in March and April. When BNI checked with Josumhill, it discovered that the company was fake.

"We have summoned all five card holders as witnesses," Dharma said.