Fraudulent Group Targets Gay Men Through Hornet Applications, Stole Cellphone When Dating

Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kanitreskrim) of the Senen Police, Commissioner Adjutant Danang

JAKARTA - Five perpetrators of the same-sex dating app fraud syndicate (Hornet) were arrested by the Senen Police, Central Jakarta. The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kanit Reskrim) of the Senen Police, Commissioner Adjutant Danang, explained that the five perpetrators, namely ER (18), RF (21), AA (20), ES (24) and MAR (16) were still minors.

"Their targets are gay, LGBT people. The modus operandi of this fraudulent act is victims who are targeted by LGBT, especially gay men, through a dating app," said Danang, Wednesday, July 13.

Danang said, the perpetrators committed fraud by taking the victim's cell phone. The five actors have their respective roles. MAR searches for victims through the application by having a conversation (chat) with the victim first to be invited on a date (BO).

MAR then invites the victim to meet at the pick-up location that has been prepared by RF.

"RF arranges the pick-up and arranges the meeting location. So they are one group, then for AA the vehicle facility provider," said Danang.

The modus operandi is, after meeting the victim, MAR invites him to take a walk around the crime scene first. After walking around, the perpetrator then borrowed the victim's cellphone.

After getting the victim's cellphone, the perpetrator pretended to take off his sandals and was accidentally thrown, so he asked the victim to get it.

"The modus operandi was that the perpetrator's sandals came off, as if they were deliberately flown in. Then he said please take his sandals, and then fled on a motorbike," said Danang.

Based on the investigation, the syndicate has carried out its actions four times in three months. The stolen cellphones were then sold by the perpetrators to be used for daily needs.

The police secured evidence in the form of a cellphone and a Yamaha Mio motorcycle belonging to the perpetrator. The case is still being investigated further.