Pokémon NO?
Love it or hate it, Pokémon GO’s augmented reality is the future of gaming. It’s also a magnet for scammers....
Kenneth Yeung
Meet James Ofili
James Ofili*, a textiles trader from Nigeria, discusses corruption, drugs and discrimination. Why do so many Nigerians come to Indonesia?...
The Missionaries: Meet the Mormons
Imagine travelling halfway across the world at your own expense for a religious calling. A handful of Indonesians are doing...
Scams in the City: Fashion Police
Indonesian police are seeking to improve their image by wearing navy blue shirts emblazoned with the slogan Turn Back Crime....
Scams 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...
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...
Scams 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...
Hypochondriacs & Hypocrites
What to do if you face trial or jail in Indonesia but you’re too big a coward to take responsibility...
Hocus Pocus
Selling useless trinkets under the pretence they contain magical powers remains brisk business in Indonesia. More daring scammers perform simple...
Rotten Reviews & Bogus Bookings
A holiday should be all about unwinding by replacing any stress with serenity and relaxation. Unfortunately, scammers in the hospitality...
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...
Scams in the City: For Worse
Weddings, an essential rite of passage in Indonesia, remain a source of scamming and discontent. It was supposed to be...
Scams in the City: The Punisher
It is often said the Indonesian judiciary is rotten to the core. But there is one Supreme Court judge who...
Scams in the City: Transgressions of Tolerance
Although some Indonesian transvestites are involved in minor scams, much greater evil comes from bigots who incite intolerance by preaching...
It’ All in the Mind
Hypnotism – when defined as the act of putting someone into a trance and under your control – is not...
Sky High Hijinks
Air travel scams are common, but more worrying is that Indonesian airlines have been ranked among the most unsafe in...
Indecent Acts
Social media scamming is on the rise, but authorities need to stop prosecuting people for exercising freedom of speech. About...
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...
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...
Official Ignorance Is Not Bliss
If Indonesia’s greatest crime of the past century remains swept under the carpet – and cannot even be discussed at...
The Great Degradable Swindle
Consumers in Indonesia will have noticed that plastic bags from leading chains of convenience stores and supermarkets are now labelled...