Malaysian arrested for fake card

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)