Police warn public of U.S. dollar swindle syndicate

Police warn public of U.S. dollar swindle syndicate

JAKARTA (JP): The city police have issued a public warning
over the rising incidence of U.S. dollar swindles allegedly
perpetrated by foreigners targeting gullible city residents
desperate to make easy money.

Chief detective Col. Gories Mere said on Tuesday that the
foreigners, most of whom allegedly come from African countries,
had taken advantage of the depreciation in the value of rupiah
against the U.S. dollar to set up a foreign exchange scam.

"They are actually facing similar economic difficulties in
their own countries, but they know how to utilize the momentum of
the crisis here, where people want to get rich easily by
gathering as many dollars as possible."

The crooks place authentic large denomination dollar bills at
certain intervals in wads of dollar sized pieces of paper dyed
black using a chemical substance. They explain the black dye is
to avoid attracting the attention of potential thieves. When
pushing for a sale, the con men remove the original dollars from
the pile and rub the dye off to convince customers of the
authenticity of the money.

They attract customers by offering rates well below official
rates on the market. Gories said victims had been offered US$100
for only US$50.

"As soon as they have made a sale, the con men check out of
their hotels and move on," Gories added.

Since last year, the city police have arrested at least 20
people from a number of countries suspected of involvement in the
sting, Gories said, adding that he believed that a syndicate was
operating in the country.

Victims, mostly currency traders and members of the middle and
upper classes, have come forward in Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan,
he said.

Gories expressed concern that many more victims had not
reported being swindled to the police for fear of looking stupid.

In Greater Jakarta only six people have reported being tricked
in this way over the last six months, he said.

"Victims in cases of this nature are usually ashamed to report
the crimes to the police because they appear greedy, stupid and
gullible."

Based on information provided by victims who have come
forward, the police on Monday apprehended three Cameroonians
suspected of involvement in a swindle carried out in a hotel in
the Pintu Besar area of Central Jakarta.

Police identified the three as Mangam Zacharia, Mboka Gabriel
and Nouni J. Marie.

According to Gories, the three confessed to having obtained
over Rp 40 billion ($3.6 million) from their swindling
activities.

The police also arrested two Liberians, identified as Bill
Smarat and David D. Doe, in an Ibis Hotel in Central Jakarta on
Saturday.

Police seized three boxes containing 3,000,000 pieces of black
paper cut to the size of U.S. dollar bills from the suspects.

The boxes were stamped: "United States of America, Federal
Reserve notes."

However, one of the suspects, Mangam Zacharia, said he ran a
garment business in his country and strongly denied the police
allegations.

"I was in my hotel room when police knocked on the door then
began to search the room without asking my permission," he said.

The five suspects are now in city police detention pending
further investigation. (emf)