Alleged fake police scam targets Lombok hotel and travel businesses

Mataram — Police in West Nusa Tenggara have arrested a 29-year-old man identified as Bayu Dwi Satria Putra, also known as BDSP, on suspicion of posing as a police officer to obtain money from hotel, travel and other tourism-related businesses in Lombok, according to the regional police and local media reports.

Investigators allege the suspect used WhatsApp accounts with police-themed profile photographs and claimed to hold various ranks and positions in the force when contacting business operators.

According to the West Nusa Tenggara regional police, as reported by several outlets, BDSP allegedly carried out the scheme for about a year before his arrest.

Police said he has been named a suspect and is being detained at the regional police headquarters in Mataram.

How the alleged scheme worked

Director of general criminal investigations Kombes Pol Arisandi told reporters the suspect contacted targets via WhatsApp, using profile images and descriptions intended to make him appear to be a police official.

According to these accounts, he alternately claimed to be a director, police-sector chief, deputy police-sector chief, unit chief or department chief, changing job titles to convince different targets that the sender held official authority.

Police and local media reports say BDSP used multiple telephone numbers when approaching victims.

He is alleged to have asked for transfers of money and, in some cases, goods, while at times issuing threats.

Some businesses reportedly complied and sent funds, while other attempts did not result in payments.

Police have stated that the suspect used the pretext of assistance or donations, including support for victims of a fire in Desa Adat Sade, to persuade tourism-sector operators to transfer money.

Reported losses and legal status

Accounts from the regional police and local media say the value of alleged payments ranged from hundreds of thousands of rupiah to several million rupiah per victim.

Investigators are still compiling the total loss and assessing whether additional businesses may have been targeted but have yet to file reports.

One police briefing cited preliminary losses of around Rp10 million, while also indicating that the figure could rise as more victims come forward.

Police say BDSP has been charged under Article 492 paragraph 1 of the 2023 Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Any penalty would depend on the outcome of the judicial process and a court decision; at this stage, the allegations remain under investigation and have not been tested in court.

Key figures in the case

• Suspect: Bayu Dwi Satria Putra, also known as BDSP
• Age: 29
• Alleged duration of activity: about one year
• Reported losses: individual payments from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah; early police estimate around Rp10 million in total
• Possible penalty cited: up to four years in prison under Article 492 paragraph 1 of the 2023 Criminal Code

Areas affected and business implications

Media reports citing police information say the alleged targets included operators in Mataram, Gili Trawangan in North Lombok, Mandalika in Central Lombok and parts of East Lombok.

The case highlights the risk for tourism businesses in Lombok and nearby destinations of relying solely on a messaging profile or claimed official title when responding to payment requests.

Police have urged business operators to verify the identity and position of anyone claiming to represent law-enforcement agencies and to be cautious of demands for transfers to personal accounts.

Businesses that receive similar messages are advised by police and legal experts to retain full chat histories, phone numbers, profile images and bank-transfer records to support any future complaint.

Investigation continues

Police say they are continuing to identify possible victims and collect evidence, including mobile phones, transfer receipts and screenshots of conversations allegedly used in the scheme.

Officers have indicated they are examining whether BDSP acted alone and whether there are additional victims beyond those who have already reported losses.

Details of any legal representation for the suspect or his response to the allegations have not been published in the reports reviewed for this article.

Sources

• detikBali
• IDN Times NTB
• RRI Mataram
• AyoLombok