A strange and shocking case of fraud unfolded in Sanggau Regency, Indonesia. A driver, identified as K, was caught red-handed after swapping real money with toy cash to make an illegal profit. The scheme was uncovered by the Meliau Police, who quickly arrested the suspect and seized the fake bills as evidence.
The incident took place in Sungai Mayam Village, Meliau District, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, and was solved the following day after an investigation led by Meliau Police Chief AKP Supariyanto, SH.
During the operation, officers found toy money in Rp100,000 and Rp50,000 denominations, totaling Rp3.9 million.
How It All Started
The case began when K was assigned by his colleague Robet to purchase fuel (BBM) from a shop owned by Alun in Meliau Hilir Village. Robet handed over Rp7 million in cash for the purchase on behalf of Abui, the owner of the shop where they worked.
However, during the trip, K developed a malicious plan. While waiting at the PT BHD ferry crossing, he noticed some toy money in his car — bills he had previously ordered online for making decorative money bouquets. Tempted by the idea, he decided to swap part of the real cash with the toy bills, totaling Rp3.9 million.
When he arrived at Alun’s kiosk, K paid for the fuel using the mixed cash. While counting, Alun realized that several of the bills were fake. He immediately contacted Abui and reported the issue to the police.
The Fraud Exposed
When Robet learned what happened, he was shocked. He confirmed that the money he had given to K was 100% real and had never been mixed with fake notes.
After gathering statements from witnesses and conducting a thorough investigation, the police concluded that K acted alone. He admitted to exchanging Rp3.9 million in real cash for toy money and hiding the stolen funds inside a helmet placed on top of his wardrobe.
Police Quick to Respond
Meliau Police Chief AKP Supariyanto stated that the suspect’s method was highly unusual but clearly intended to embezzle money.
“The suspect took advantage of his position when handling cash for the fuel purchase. After seeing the toy bills in his car, he decided to swap them with real ones. We have now taken him into custody for further investigation,” he said.
He also confirmed that the police would follow legal procedures in handling the case. “We’ve secured both the suspect and the toy money used in his scam. We remind the public to stay cautious when handling large amounts of cash, especially during business transactions,” Supariyanto emphasized.
Public Cooperation Praised
The police chief also praised the quick response from local residents. “The community’s fast report really helped us uncover this case. Cooperation between citizens and law enforcement is crucial to prevent crimes like this,” he added.
Authorities are now carefully examining the suspect and witnesses to clarify the full timeline and determine each party’s legal responsibility.
This case serves as a strong reminder for everyone to stay alert against increasingly creative fraud methods. Police urge the public to always verify the authenticity of cash during any transaction and to report immediately if they encounter anything suspicious in their surroundings.