Fake 'Wise Person' Scam: Two Thieves Steal Motorcycle via 'Bad Luck Nail' Ritual

Jakarta Metropolitan Police have arrested two suspects, identified as AJ (46) and RAT (60), who used a fake ‘wise person’ scam in Cakung, East Jakarta, in early May 2026. RAT was arrested on 23 May in Cilincing, North Jakarta, while AJ was caught on 24 May in Semper, North Jakarta.

The incident began when the victim, identified as I (19), was sitting alone on his motorcycle. RAT approached him pretending to ask for directions to someone he intended to treat. “Shortly after, AJ arrived and convinced the victim that RAT was a powerful ‘wise person’,” said Danang in East Jakarta on Tuesday (26 May 2026).

The victim was then asked to ride his motorcycle briefly. During the journey, he was suddenly ordered to stop. “They then frightened him by claiming he was cursed with bad luck. The suspects used a trick where a nail hidden under their tongue was presented as emerging from the victim’s body to ‘remove’ the misfortune,” Danang added.

The nail was wrapped in the victim’s banknotes, and he was instructed to discard the bundle 50 metres away. As the victim walked to dispose of it, the suspects stole his motorcycle.

Following the victim’s report, police investigated and arrested the suspects. RAT admitted posing as a healer claiming to cure illnesses, while AJ pretended to be a patient previously treated by RAT. Both were motivated by financial gain. They have been charged under Article 477(1)(g) and Article 492 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 20(c) of Law No. 1 of 2023.