Malaysian arrested for fake card

JAKARTA (JP): A Malaysian has been arrested on charges of buying jewelry with a counterfeit credit card at CitraLand Mall, West Jakarta.

Police sources said yesterday the suspect, identified as Cheng Joo Sun, 22, a resident of Penang, was captured Wednesday afternoon by the mall's security guard and an employee of Citra Jewelry shop from which he bought around Rp 17 million worth of jewelry.

During the transaction the suspect was accompanied by two friends, also Malaysians. They all claimed to be tourists.

"The two friends managed to escape. They are still at large," an officer from the Economic Investigative Unit at the City Police Headquarters told The Jakarta Post and Neraca.

Cheng reportedly had six Visa and Mastercard credit cards in his wallet. On the cards, the issuing banks were stated as Standard Chartered Bank and Southern Bank Berhad. Only one of the cards was authentic.

He first used the authentic credit card but the merchant failed to obtain authorization because the account was over its credit limit.

He subsequently used one of the fake cards which was not rejected by the on-line authorization machine.

The merchant became suspicious when the suspect bought jewelry in three different transactions. He then telephoned Bank Bali to check the account and was told the card was fake.

"The card carrying the number on Cheng's card was issued in America not in Malaysia, according to the bank," the officer said.

Together with the security guard, the merchant detained Cheng. His accomplices managed to make away with the jewelry and the suspect's passport.

Police only found an ID card in Cheng's pocket and the six credit cards. (jsk)