Warning over foreign education agency

Warning over foreign education agency

JAKARTA (JP): The city police warned yesterday residents who intend to study overseas to scrutinize institutions offering education programs abroad.

The warning echoed a U.S. embassy announcement that a local group was claiming to represent the embassy here.

"We'll be happy to get reports from people who had been cheated by educational institutions or groups," City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

The reports will help police investigate the case, Iman said, adding that his office had yet to receive a single report on the scam.

The U.S. embassy statement said the group, which targets writers and academics wanting to study in the United States, calls itself the Department of Literature and Culture for Southeast Asia of the American Embassy, or the Cultural Department of the embassy.

"It's just puzzling so far. Nobody has been asked for money yet and we have no idea who is running it," embassy press attache Craig Stromme was quoted by AFP as saying on Thursday.

Some of those approached to apply for the non-existent scholarships had already sat preliminary exams and had been invited back for the next level, Stromme said.

"We think they were going to ask for money later," Stromme said.

He said the organization, which has offered a return address close to the embassy, claimed to represent several tertiary institutions in the United States. He declined to name which ones.

"I don't want to name the colleges because I don't want to tarnish their names," he said.

The embassy has warned anyone seeking study opportunities in the United States to contact the embassy for verification.

Police Spokesman Iman said he hoped for further information about the alleged scam.

"By doing so, we can instantly start the investigation to find the group's real address and take the necessary steps," the officer said. (bsr)