Clik here to view.
The Great Degradable Swindle
Consumers in Indonesia will have noticed that plastic bags from leading chains of convenience stores and supermarkets are now labelled ‘green’ and ‘degradable’. But are these plastic bags really good...
View ArticleOfficial Ignorance Is Not Bliss
If Indonesia’s greatest crime of the past century remains swept under the carpet – and cannot even be discussed at a book festival – then what hope is there of enforcing laws to protect citizens from...
View ArticleStranger Danger
Beware of people you meet online. And beware of strangers seeking help. An Indonesian man has been jailed in Australia for rape after posing as a woman on Facebook to lure victims. While in Jakarta, a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mama Wants Credit, Papa Wants Shares
Police have finally busted one of the most common text message scams in the book; meanwhile, the country’s biggest corruption scandal could just be swept under the carpet. In recent years, just about...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Scum in the Cities
Indonesian law carries a six-year jail term for negligent drivers who cause fatal accidents. But rich kids in costly cars are usually above the law. Among the tenants of my Jakarta apartment complex...
View ArticleIndecent Acts
Social media scamming is on the rise, but authorities need to stop prosecuting people for exercising freedom of speech. About 10 years ago, I worked in a busy Jakarta office alongside a New Zealander...
View ArticleSky High Hijinks
Air travel scams are common, but more worrying is that Indonesian airlines have been ranked among the most unsafe in the world. Despite that, it’s still safer to fly than to drive. Travellers seeking...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It’s All in the Mind
Hypnotism – when defined as the act of putting someone into a trance and under your control – is not real. But in Indonesia, many scam victims insist they were hypnotized, as if they were powerless to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Transgressions of Tolerance
Although some Indonesian transvestites are involved in minor scams, much greater evil comes from bigots who incite intolerance by preaching that cross-dressing is a threat to the nation. Male...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Punisher
It is often said the Indonesian judiciary is rotten to the core. But there is one Supreme Court judge who always upholds or extends the sentences of corruption felons, and sides with the poor. Judge...
View ArticleClik here to view.
For Worse
Weddings, an essential rite of passage in Indonesia, remain a source of scamming and discontent. Wedding scammers Nitria Danu Kusuma and Filipus Defris aka Dave Freeze It was supposed to be one of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Scams in the City: Property Pitfalls
A property agency in Jakarta has been scamming expatriates by renting out apartments for terms longer than actual leases. “Quality means operating under the highest standards of ethical behavior!”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Rotten Reviews & Bogus Bookings
A holiday should be all about unwinding by replacing any stress with serenity and relaxation. Unfortunately, scammers in the hospitality sector are out to dupe you before you’ve even left home....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hocus Pocus
Selling useless trinkets under the pretence they contain magical powers remains brisk business in Indonesia. More daring scammers perform simple conjuring tricks to con the unwary out of their money...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hypochondriacs & Hypocrites
What to do if you face trial or jail in Indonesia but you’re too big a coward to take responsibility for your actions? Feign illness, of course. Errant Indonesian politicians and tycoons have long been...
View ArticleScams in the City: Car Trouble
Buying a car online or ‘winning’ one as a prize can be risky business in Indonesia, but even more risky is renting a hire car to a purported celebrity. A failed singer exploited his minimal celebrity...
View ArticleClik here to view.
No Google Award, Just a Rape Ad
Police in Lampung province have been left with egg on their faces after announcing they were to receive an award from Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in recognition of their website. Google...
View ArticleScams in the City: Don’t Lose Your Goat
Sometimes it’s just not worth reporting a crime in Indonesia. A few weeks ago, I was robbed on a Jakarta bus. A pickpocket deftly removed my Samsung smartphone from my pocket as the crowded bus pulled...
View ArticleFashion Police
Indonesian police are seeking to improve their image by wearing navy blue shirts emblazoned with the slogan Turn Back Crime. Criminals are donning the same apparel to commit theft and extortion. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pokémon NO?
Love it or hate it, Pokémon GO’s augmented reality is the future of gaming. It’s also a magnet for scammers. “Have you got Pokémon GO on your phone?” a colleague asked me last week. “No,” I replied,...
View Article