South Sulawesi Police Arrest Perpetrators Of Fraud Selling Cheap IPhones Via TikTok

PIXABAY'S ILLUSTRATION

South Sulawesi Police arrested two suspected perpetrators of fraud named La Tamming (37) male and Yama (32) female who committed fraud against their victims by selling cheap social media phones (medsos) TikTok.

"The two perpetrators were arrested at different locations. Yama in Wajo and La Tamming Regencies in Sidrap Regency. Both are suspected of committing fraudulent cell phone sales on TikTok. The mode is illegal access to ITE," said Panit I Resmob South Sulawesi Police Iptu Dendi Eriyan as reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 25.

This case was revealed when a student victim from Gowa Regency reported being cheated after buying a new iPhone brand cellphone for Rp. 5 million. He was tempted by advertisements for selling cheap cellphones on the TikTok application.

The victim then contacted the perpetrator in the application to get the goods, then the perpetrator communicated and directed further communication through the WhatsApp application.

"The victim was asked to transfer the shipping fee and others amounting to Rp5 million. Later, after the victim fulfilled the request, the goods never arrived and were never sent," said Dendi.

The disclosure of the case began after the Resmob team traced the whereabouts of the perpetrators by tracking them through a special search application, until they were finally arrested.

From the interrogation, the two perpetrators admitted that they had committed fraud by selling branded phones by using the TikTok application to deceive potential buyers.

The role of Yama actors serves as operators who communicate with potential victims after being entangled. Meanwhile, La Tamming's role is the mastermind of the fraud. "Yamma is a female subordinate who runs the scam (selling cheap phones). And La Tamming, the man is the boss," he said.

In addition to securing the perpetrators, officers also confiscated evidence in the form of seven Android phones, two bags, and one wallet. The two perpetrators have been handed over to the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Sulawesi Police for legal processing. "The perpetrator and the evidence have been secured, and for further investigation they have been detained in the South Sulawesi Police Ditreskrimsus cell to undergo investigation by the investigation team for the development of the case," he emphasized.