North Denpasar Police Investigate Alleged Fake Transfer Beer Scam

Denpasar — Police in North Denpasar are investigating a fraud case in which a customer allegedly used fake bank transfer proof to obtain beer from a Madura-owned convenience stall, after CCTV footage of the incident went viral on Instagram according to local media and police statements.

According to a report by JPNN Bali, the Opsnal Criminal Investigation Team of the North Denpasar Police visited the scene and conducted a crime-scene examination at a Madura stall on Jalan Gatot Subroto I No. 55, Tonja, North Denpasar, following the viral social media post. Tribun Bali separately reported that the shop, known locally as Toko Adil, was targeted by a man who presented what appeared to be transfer proof on his phone and then left with two cases of beer.

JPNN Bali identified the victim as 24-year-old Riky Imam Sunaryo, who reported losing two cases of Draft-brand beer with a stated value of Rp650,000. Tribun Bali likewise described the incident as involving two cases of Draft beer taken from the stall after the suspect showed digital transfer evidence that police later determined to be fake.

Incident chronology

JPNN Bali reported that the incident occurred on Sunday, 30 August 2026 at around 09:43 WITA. A man who had not previously been seen by the stall staff arrived and requested two cases of Draft beer. When it came time to pay, he claimed to have transferred Rp650,000 to the shop’s bank account and showed a transfer confirmation image on his mobile phone, which persuaded the victim to hand over the beer.

Tribun Bali’s report notes that the stall’s CCTV recorded the interaction and the suspect’s departure, and that the footage was later shared on Instagram, drawing wider public attention to the case. The victim only realised he had been deceived after checking the account and finding no incoming funds matching the alleged payment, according to the Tribun Bali account.

Police response

JPNN Bali quoted North Denpasar Police public relations officer Iptu I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya as saying that the victim’s losses totalled Rp650,000 and that officers had carried out a crime-scene examination at the stall. Tribun Bali also cited Iptu Gede Adi, who explained that the alleged method involved the suspect pretending to shop and then displaying fictitious transfer proof on his phone so the victim would believe payment had been made.

Both outlets reported that police are pursuing the suspect, but as of their latest coverage no arrest had been announced and no suspect had been publicly named. The reports do not mention any recovery of the goods or money.

Risks for small businesses

Local coverage of the case highlights the vulnerability of small retailers that accept payment based on screenshots or digital transfer images without independently confirming that funds have reached their account. Payment specialists generally advise merchants to verify incoming transfers directly through official banking applications or payment dashboards rather than relying on customer-provided images.

At the time of publication, media reports indicate the investigation remains ongoing and focus on this single incident at the stall on Jalan Gatot Subroto I in North Denpasar, with no confirmed link to other fake-transfer cases in Bali.

Sources

• Tribun Bali
• JPNN Bali
• Ground News / JPNN.com