Fraud involving building permit

From Warta Kota

In November 2000, AH, a person claiming to be from the city's planning agency offered me his services. He offered to help arrange my building permit for the house I planned to construct in Jati Asih, Bekasi.

I really believed that he was for real as he gave me his business card, the number of his cellular phone and a receipt for the payment agreed, which amounted to Rp 3,130,000, to be made in three installments between Nov. 16 and Dec. 22, 2000).

January 2001 came but I still heard nothing about my building permit. So I started contacting the office in Bekasi and was surprised to find out that "AH" was a former official there. Another person, identified as "Nsh", who co-signed the receipt, promised to settle the matter. He even came to my house on March 17, 2001, asking for another Rp 500,000, but I gave him only half the amount and promised to give him the other half upon receipt of the building permit.

Unfortunately, even now I'm still awaiting the issuance of my permit. I have also learned that Nsh has been transferred to the sub-district office of Jati Asih. I tried to call him several times and each time I was always told that there was no such person under that name.

The public must be careful in applying for building permits and avoid being tricked by such people.

V. INTANSARI

Bekasi