'Lucky' cell phone numbers sell for exorbitant prices

By A'an Suryana

JAKARTA (JP): Excuse me, but what is your cellular phone number?

Is it an easy one to remember like 0816-123-456? Does it have "favorable" numbers such as the combination 0818-888-999? Or does the phone number add up to an eight or a nine? These two numbers are considered lucky for most Chinese.

Or perhaps the number contains someone's birthday such as 0811-612-1962?

If you have a cell phone, why not follow the current trend which many Jakartans are doing by selling lucky cellular phone numbers through classified ads in the newspaper.

The price?

Many advertisers have asked between Rp 10 million (US$1,430) and Rp 75 million for each number.

For many, the price tag, of course, sounds incredible, particularly during a time of economic hardship. But many keen advertisers boast that business has been running well, while others acknowledge they are taking a risk by asking a high price.

Whatever the amount, advertisements of mobile phone numbers have continuously filled the classified ad columns of major dailies, such as Kompas and Pos Kota.

Costs of ads differ from one paper to another. But many say they spend between Rp 21,000 and Rp 50,000 on average to place one.

An ad from one newspaper's Monday edition read: "Selling lucky cell phone number 0816-110-4978 (Rp 20 million). Call 8570335."

Another read: "Welcome the Golden Dragon in the new millennium with the lucky cell phone number 0811-946-061 (Rp 45 million)."

The Chinese say 2000 is the Year of the Golden Dragon and it will start from Feb. 5.

"I am gambling by advertising my cellular phone numbers, simply to earn a big pot of money," Josef Gunawan, a cell phone trader on Jl. Otista, East Jakarta said.

The idea

Josef acknowledged getting the idea from the increasing classified ads in the papers.

Anom, an owner of a cellular phone shop in Atrium Senen shopping center, Central Jakarta, recalled a friend of his once offered to buy his two phone numbers of 0816-853-663 and 0811-853-663 at Rp 50 million for both.

He rejected the offer, saying that he really loved the numbers and had struggled to get them. Later, he said he regretted his poor decision and has started to advertise the numbers in some newspapers.

Jaya Nursap, an employee of oil contractor PT Elnusa, said hunters of most cell numbers are Chinese-Indonesian traders.

"Most people hunting for special numbers for their mobile phones want to welcome the Year of the Golden Dragon with it," Jaya, who sold several cell phone numbers a few months ago, said.

These people, he said, believed they could make a good start in life and business in the new millennium with the lucky numbers.

"These people, who are mostly rich, are also hunting for car license plates sporting the lucky numbers," Jaya said.

He recently sold two cell phone numbers of his relatives to traders at Mangga Dua shopping mall in West Jakarta for Rp 10 million and Rp 15 million each. In return, he received a commission.

Amri, an employee at Ratu Prima cellular phone shop at Roxi Mas shopping mall in West Jakarta, said buyers of lucky cell phone numbers had spent up to Rp 30 million for a good combination.

"The lucky number is presented as a gift together with a cellular phone to high-ranking state officials," he said.

One buyer, Budiono, said last February he spent about Rp 9 million ($1,000 at the rate then) for the number 0818-888-168 from a trader named Wiyanto.

Favorite

He said he liked the combination of eights, which is his favorite number.

"The number eight means an advancement in our business," said the businessman, who lives in a luxury housing complex in Pondok Indah in South Jakarta.

Budiono said the number also brought pride to him.

"There is an added value for me and for my business. My friends often ask me how I got the number," he said on Saturday.

Christine, a fortuneteller at Mangga Dua mall, confirmed the importance of the number eight or nine in a person's life.

"Number nine is the symbol of perfection. It will make people proactive and persevere in business. It will make them more courageous and will help them avoid calamity or bankruptcy," she said.

Number eight, she added, would help people work harder, which in turn could improve business.

"But it's a matter of what we believe in."

Psychologist Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono said the phenomenon was merely a trend within the community.

"It will disappear soon. It was the same with the trend of hair and car accessories," Sarlito said.

Some people, he added, do have a tendency to go all out in attaining their goals, although such things require a lot of money.

"People, for instance, hunt for Affandi or Picasso paintings even though it costs billions of dollars," he said.