Scam for the gullible?

Scam for the gullible?

From Bisnis Indonesia

On Dec. 8, 2000, I received a phone call from Iryanto who
claimed to be a member of PT Telkom's Telephone Head Office staff
on Jl. Gatot Subroto. He informed me that as part of PT Telkom's
anniversary celebrations, I had been selected as East Java's
third best PT Telkom subscriber and was entitled to receive a
prize.

Furthermore, he said that if I wanted to know what prize I
would receive, I was to immediately contact Ir. Budi Cahyono at
0818.485021 (a cell phone number).

After contacting Mr. Budi, the latter said he wanted to first
check my data on his computer. After finding, according to him,
that everything was in order, I was informed that I would receive
a Daihatsu Taruna car. Wonderful, wasn't it ?

He then elaborated about the prize, in short saying that I
had to pay Rp 7 million tax with a 50 percent discount reducing
the tax to only Rp 3.5 million. Mr. Budi then asked me whether I
had that kind of money. If I did, the car would be brought to me
that very evening. If I didn't, the prize would be
withdrawn/canceled.

But he also asked me not to spread the news to avoid social
jealousy. He said that I could spread the good news at will only
after delivery of the car.

I frankly answered that I didn't have that amount of money
just then.

Mr. Budi then suggested that I contact the Jakarta Deputy
Governor for Welfare Affairs, Mr. A. Jaelani, at 0812.9184196
(also a cell phone number) for consideration, because the prize
was provided by the Jakarta metropolitan administration. After
contacting the "Deputy Governor", the latter asked me about my
willingness to pay. But deep in my heart I had a question: Why
was it so easy to contact so important a figure?

I then contacted my wife at her office and she said that she
was prepared to provide the sum of money required. I then called
the "Deputy Governor" again, and the latter asked me about the
bank where I kept my account. I replied BNI. But he then asked me
to pay the money to BII, and I would be informed of the account
number later.

After taking a bath, my body and mind were refreshed and I
realized it was only a scam. I asked my wife to check with PT
Telkom regarding the prize. It turned out that it was all a con.

LOEHOER WINANTO

Bekasi, West Java