Would You Believe a Talking Fetus?
A North Jakarta grandfather hit the headlines this month over his nonsensical claim that he can lay eggs. That’s nothing...
Scams in the City
Golden Goose Chases
Indonesians from all walks of life are still prone to investment scams. Why? Mainly because of a lack of awareness...
Of Human Bondage
Indonesian women have for decades been working abroad as domestic servants, earning much-needed revenue for their families. Unfortunately, government authorities...
Child Scammer Nets Minister
E-commerce fraud in Indonesia recently claimed a high-profile victim: Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Roy Suryo. Police swiftly arrested the...
For Better or For Worse
Weddings attract a range of scams, from disappearing contract wives to fake proposals and bogus planners. Arab sex tourists have...
Social Media Sins
Indonesia has about 70 million active social media users, spending an average of over five hours online daily through computers...
In Vino Nonsense
The jailing of an Indonesian man in the US earlier this month for selling millions of dollars of fake wine...
Casting for Sex & Money
There’s no shortage of women eager to become Indonesia’s next top celebrity. One conman took advantage of this hunger for...
All Over Bar the Cheating’
After a tense election campaign marred by relentless lies and smears, the fate of Indonesia is now in the hands...
Everything to Lose
As Indonesia’s most important presidential election ever nears its climax, there has been no end of deception aimed at swaying...
Ghostbuster Busted
Of all the silly programs on Indonesian TV, one of the most idiotic was Pemburu Hantu (Ghost Hunters), which involved...
Unlucky Charms
It is widely believed in Indonesia that daggers, polished stones and fabrics can be imbued with magical powers that will...
Car Theft Hoaxes
“There’s a new method of car theft,” a colleague breathlessly told me last week. “Thieves throw an egg at your...
Money Politics
Vote buying is risky business, especially for candidates who fail to get elected and cannot repay their debts. Yet the...
God Help Us
With religion being compulsory in Indonesia, the country is fertile ground for scammers seeking easy money under the guise of...
Phantom Pregnancies
Getting married and having children are essential rites of passage in Indonesia. So great is the pressure to produce progeny,...
Stealing Democracy from the People
I first experienced an Indonesian election in May 1997. I was staggering home drunk from Blok M, South Jakarta, at...
Cheating on the Buses
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Transjakarta busway: a public transport system beset by financial scams. Even before...
Physicians’ Heal Thyself
From pointless prescriptions to counterfeit medicines, the treatment of illnesses in Indonesia can be a minefield. A few weeks ago,...
Big Phishing in a Big Pond
As the world’s second biggest source of cyber attacks, Indonesia is prone to phishing, which occurs when a scammer or...
We Haven’t Learned a Thing
It is almost a year since I wrote my first Scams column for Jakarta Expat and there is no shortage...