Police Uncover Liberian Foreigners' 'Black Dollar' Scam: Manipulating Liquid to Turn Paper into Money
Polda Metro Jaya has uncovered the sophistication of visual and psychological manipulation used by two foreign nationals from Liberia in perpetrating a black dollar scam. This method relies on a special liquid to convince victims that black sheets of paper can be transformed into genuine US dollar bills.
The Deputy Head of Public Information for Polda Metro Jaya, Kompol Andaru Rahutomo, explained that the liquid served as the primary tool for the perpetrators to ensnare their victims.
“There is one suitcase of liquid, which according to the suspects is used as a means to deceive victims, claiming that this can turn black dollar paper into real dollars, something like that,” said Kompol Andaru Rahutomo to reporters on Friday (27/3).
In executing their operation, the suspects claimed that the liquid they carried possessed “magical” abilities. This claim was deliberately crafted to build the victims’ trust, prompting them to hand over genuine money as part of the “cleaning” or activation process for the black paper.
Andaru emphasised that the entire scenario was merely a planned form of manipulation to drain the victims’ assets.
“That’s what was used as a means to manipulate victims, to manipulate them so that the victims would hand over money,” added Andaru.
In addition to the chemical liquid, the Satreskrim unit of Polres Metro Jakarta Barat also seized several suitcases and safes used by the perpetrators in their scheme. These items are now secured as strong evidence to prosecute the two suspects.
The black dollar scam itself is a classic fraud pattern that exploits victims’ greed or ignorance with promises of instant profits through implausible processes.
The police urge the public to remain alert and not be easily tempted by offers of money multiplication, especially those involving chemical procedures or illogical matters. To date, investigators are continuing to delve into the case to uncover any potential international networks or other involved perpetrators.