Umrah Pilgrim Fraud with Low Cost Mode in Bogor Happens Again

 

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By:

Team of Hukumindo

Previously, the www.hukumindo.com platform has talk about "Pig Butchering Fraud Targets Android and iPhone Users", "WhatsApp Fraud Mode 'Like' on YouTube Videos to Obtain Money", you may read also "Examples of Fraudulent Spam Emails" and on this occasion we will discuss about 'Umrah Pilgrim Fraud with Low Cost Mode in Bogor Happens Again'.

The case of alleged fraud by prospective Umrah pilgrims in Bogor, West Java, was uncovered by the police. A woman suspected of being the perpetrator was arrested. This case arose when a celebrity from Bogor, Elsya Sandria, admitted that she was deceived by a woman managing a Hajj and Umrah travel agency with the initials CV. He admitted that he failed to perform Umrah and suffered a loss of up to IDR 200 million. Elsya then reported the case to the Bogor City Police on Wednesday (18/1/23'). Elsya admitted that she and 10 of her family had been promised to leave for Umrah on December 22, 2022. However, promises remain promises. There is no clear return on the money Elsya paid. The Police conducted an investigation. Finally, the police uncovered this case and arrested the alleged perpetrator. Here are some facts:[1]

1. Police Arrest Prospective Umrah Pilgrims Fraudsters. The police arrested the alleged perpetrator of an Umrah trip scam that cost a celebrity in Bogor, West Java, up to IDR 200 million. The perpetrator with the initials CVG (39) was arrested in the Sentul area, Bogor Regency.
2. Involved Parties Investigated. The police said investigators were still exploring the possibility that other parties helped the suspect cheat. Bismo said the suspect should have sent the victim and his family to Saudi Arabia for Umrah in December 2022, but failed and did not return the victim's money. "We have secured the perpetrator with the initials CVG, we have secured him from his house in Sentul (Bogor, West Java). We are still investigating the involvement of other parties," said Bismo.
3. Victims of 106 people, loss of IDR 1.8 billion. The results of the police investigation revealed that 106 people were victims of fraud. It is estimated that the total loss reached IDR 1.8 billion. "The perpetrators were arrested and interrogated by the perpetrators, it was revealed that there were 106 other people who had also not been able to depart. Even though the deadline was promised in 2022, they were not departed. The total loss was IDR 1,881,440,000 (1.8 billion)," said Bismo. Bismo explained that the number of other victims was known from the WhatsApp group which was revealed by one of the victims who reported the incident at the Bogor City Police Headquarters.
4. Police Suspect There Are Other Victims. The police suspect that there were other victims who were deceived by CVG perpetrators. People who feel aggrieved by the perpetrators of CVG are encouraged to report to the Bogor City Police. "It is possible that there are other victims, people who feel aggrieved can report to the Bogor City Police Headquarters," said Bismo. From the CVG perpetrators, the Police also confiscated evidence in the form of passports allegedly belonging to prospective pilgrims who had not yet departed, print-out bank statements, evidence of conversations, meningitis vaccine certificates, and account books.
5. Mode of Offering Cheap Umrah Fees. Allegedly, CVG deceived victims by offering Umrah fees that were cheaper than the standard costs in general. "The alleged perpetrator on behalf of CVG has been carrying out activities to send Umrah since 2020. The system (the mode), he makes promises or can send Umrah at a low cost, at a price of IDR 5-12.5 million, where the average normal Umrah fee is IDR 20 million," said Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bogor City Police, Kompol Rizka Padhila. The Bogor City Police opened a complaint post for people who also felt they were victims.
6. Robbing Peter to Pay Paul (Gali Lobang, Tutup Lobang) Proverb. CVG has indeed succeeded in dispatching a number of people for Umrah. However, in the end CVG had to do 'proverb of Robbing Peter to Pay Paul' or in Indonesia proverb is 'Gali Lobang, Tutup Lobang' for the prospective congregation's deposit money. "So, the difference (lack of costs for each departure), he (CVG) uses other customers' money. So the system is in line with proverb of 'Robbing Peter to Pay Paul', said Rizka. The Police asked the public not to be easily tempted if an Umrah fee was offered that was cheaper than the standard fee set by the government. "Initially there were only 2-3 people behind waiting for their turn, every year there were more and more. Until finally December 2022, there were approximately 106 who still had not been able to depart, a total loss of around IDR 1.8 billion," he added.
7. The Perpetrator Became a Suspect and was Detained. CVG (39) has been named a suspect. CVG is now being detained at the Bogor City Police Headquarters. "(CVG) has been named a suspect, we are detaining him at the Bogor City Police. The perpetrators have been detained and charged under Article 372 Jo. 378 of the Criminal Code with a penalty of 4 years in prison," said Kombes Bismo.
8. The Alibi of the Perpetrators of Defrauding the Umrah Congregation. At least 106 prospective Umrah pilgrims became victims of CVG fraud. CVG conveyed an alibi for the failure of 106 pilgrims to depart. "The reason I didn't go was because the money had already been used by pilgrims who had already departed for 137 pilgrims," ​​CVG said when presented at a press conference disclosing cases of fraud by prospective Umrah pilgrims at the Bogor City Police Headquarters, Thursday (2/2/2023). CVG said that the case started with a meeting with a donor who wanted to send Indonesian citizens for the Umrah pilgrimage. However, this assistance was canceled because CVG refused to be a foreign citizen (WNA) who wanted to be a donor. Prospective pilgrims, said CVG, were only asked for a certain amount of money and the remaining costs were covered by the donor. CVG said the donor was a Saudi Arabian citizen. "I was promised by a donor in Saudi Arabia, if he wanted to send a congregation, 100-200 congregations, by being asked for IDR 5 million and IDR 12.5 million, and at that time I gathered some of my closest friends, my Koran teacher, and everyone," said CVG.

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*) For further information please contact:

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Jakarta - Indonesia.

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Reference:

1. "8 Fakta Siasat Biaya Murah Rugikan Ratusan Calon Jemaah Umrah", news.detik.com., Diakses pada tanggal 3 Februari 2023, Link: https://news.detik.com/berita/d-6548807/8-fakta-siasat-biaya-murah-rugikan-ratusan-calon-jemaah-umrah