http://www.yestotravelblog.com/2012/10/how-not-to-get-scammed-at-jakarta.html crown management international capital relations blog How Not To Get Scammed At The Jakarta Airport Like Me It’s my second time at the Soekarno-Hatta International airport and I could not fathom my stupidity this time around. You think being in the same place knowing the same story makes one wiser right? Not me! If you have read my post about my first experience at the very same airport you’d know that I was able to handle those infamous touts pretty well. It was barely 3 months since my last trip to Jakarta. I slept at the airport so I know the terminal and the drill. Avoid the touts and wait for the bus. But somehow all those information dissolved in the cigarette smoke filled air of Jakarta. I found myself inside a van heading to Terminal 3 with 200,000 rupiahs gone out of my pocket. It was one of those surreal moments where you are in deep shit trouble at the back of a moving car. Alone. At midnight. You can also visit this site http://crownjakarta.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-5.html

1. How Not To Get
Scammed At The
Jakarta Airport Like Me.
Crown Eco Capital Management
Reference: http://www.yestotravelblog.com/2012/10/how-not-to-get-scammed-
at-jakarta.html
You can also visit this site http://crownjakarta.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-5.html

2. It’s my second time at
the Soekarno-Hatta
International airport and
I could not fathom my
stupidity this time
around. You think being
in the same place
knowing the same story
makes one wiser right?
Not me! If you have
read my post about my
first experience at the
very same airport you’d
know that I was able to
handle those infamous
touts pretty well.

3. It was barely 3 months since my last trip to
Jakarta. I slept at the airport so I know the
terminal and the drill. Avoid the touts and wait
for the bus. But somehow all those information
dissolved in the cigarette smoke filled air of
Jakarta. I found myself inside a van heading to
Terminal 3 with 200,000 rupiahs gone out of
my pocket. It was one of those surreal
moments where you are in deep shit trouble at
the back of a moving car. Alone. At midnight.

4. Here’s how and why the stupidity happened.
There is this one annoying guy I chatted with at the
boarding gate of NAIA Terminal 3. I am not easily
annoyed but man was he snooty and being too
friendly. At first he was being helpful, telling me
about the good places to see in Java, how he’s been
there 4 times already and yada yada yada. But then
he’s gone personal and tried to be too close for
comfort. Asking about my life, getting my number
and shit. Did I mention he was old and big bellied?
I don’t have anything against old and big bellied
people, my father is both. But this guy was hitting
on me and he was not the least bit shy about it.

5. As soon as the gates opened, I picked up my hand
carry and bid him goodbye. I was very relieved to
finally get away from him. I had an isle seat and was
next to two lovely ladies who were a delight to talk
to. My relief crushed when the empty seat in front
me was occupied by the very same guy I wanted to
never see again. Ever.
Oh well, atleast he wasn’t beside me. He wouldn’t be
able to see me even if he tried. And boy did he try,
he shifted left and right, bending his back and
sneaking between the head rests like a full on creep.
The ladies took a notice of it and they too were
starting to get annoyed.

6. The flight seemed longer and I couldn’t possibly sleep with him
shifting and bending on his seat like a restless toddler. When the
plane landed, I sat on my seat firmly until he and his entourage
have disembark. We were at the back of plane so I let all the
passengers out first before me and the two ladies who understood
the situation and didn’t mind.
I thought that the coast was clear with him having a good ten
minute head start to the immigration line. Nope, he saw me again
but he was on the opposite side. I pretended not to see him and
acted as if I’m looking for something in my bag. Maybe he thought I
just didn’t see him so he shouted my name. Yep, everyone heard
him and saw him waving his hand at my direction.

7. I hope you can imagine what I was trying to get away
from. After I got my luggage I went to the money changer
on the way out to get some rupiahs. The thought of him
catching up with me outside was horrible so I got the
money and asked where I can find the blue bird taxi. I
need to ride a cab to Terminal 3 for a domestic flight to
Semarang. There was a guy nearby the money changer
who claimed to represent Blue Bird, and he had a freaking
ID. Blue Bird is the most reputable taxi operator in
Indonesia so I said let’s go.

8. The guy was wearing a presentable long-sleeved shirt and
slacks and looked like a decent agent. He carried my
luggage and guided me to the parking lot. He put my
luggage at the back of a black Avanza and I asked again,
“Is this blue bird”? He told me yes and asked the driver to
show his ID and to give me a receipt after. He spoke to
him in Indonesian so I wasn’t sure. Before closing the door
he asked for the payment which he said was 200,000
rupiahs to go to Terminal 3. For a split second I thought it
was 20,000 which when converted is around 100 pesos or
2 dollars so I willingly paid. He talked to the driver once
more then handed him some money before leaving.

9. Rupiahs are confusing with their hundred thousand bills and the
many zeroes. I converted again and realized I am in deep shit. I
have been scammed! I just paid the guy 1000 pesos or 25
dollars for a five minute ride! I know for a fact that Blue Bird
taxis are fucking blue and they have a taxi stand outside the
airport and not on the parking lot. What the hell was I thinking!
I asked the driver why we were not using the meter if he is a
Blue Bird taxi. He confessed “No, madam I am just an airport
taxi.” I panicked but kept my composure and said “The guy told
me that this is a blue bird taxi, I paid him 200,000 rupiahs. I
have been in Jakarta before and I think it is too much”. The taxi
driver who thankfully was good in English said “Yes madam, I
thought you had an agreement I am surprised that I am just
driving you to Terminal 3 I though you are going to the city. He
paid me 100,000 to drive you.”

10. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want to scare him. I
pretended that we were both victims and asked him if he
could take me back to the Terminal 2 and talk to the guy
who tricked me. Of course I know that he was a part of that
scam but for some weird reason, a divine intervention
perhaps, he agreed and said “I will take you back no
problem and this is your money but don’t tell him that I told
you okay”. In my utter state of shock all I could utter was
“Thank you, you are a good man. Thank you for helping
me.” I kept on saying thank you and that he was a good
man repeatedly until we arrived back at the parking lot.

11. Good thing the cheat was still there he was sitting there laughing
with his peers probably talking about the easy scam he pulled of.
Not so fast mister. I rolled down the window and told him “Hey,
you lied this is not Blue Bird, my friend called me that this is a
scam I want my money back.” He was caught off guard, he
handed me back my 100,000 rupiah and said “Okay, I will refund
your 100,000, but just that and now you can go to Terminal 3, no
more additional pay”
Of course there was no friend who called, I just didn’t want to rat
out the driver. The tout didn’t know that the driver already gave
me the other 100,000 rupiah back which is why I agreed for just
half the refund he was offering. After having all my money back I
told the taxi to stop the car and open the trunk. I grabbed my
luggage, went back to the airport left them arguing silly and
never looked back.

12. Shit happens! Especially to stupid people. I am just
thankful that I was able to get out of it unharmed. The
moral of this is to never let your guard down and to learn
how to deal with crappy people. I was trying too hard to
avoid that guy that I ended up in an even more terrible
situation.
Traveling puts a person on the edge. It takes away your
sense of control. Unfamiliar territories makes you helpless
and vulnerable. But despite of this, you must still say YES
TO TRAVEL.

13. I am on my way to Yogyakarta as I post
this, I am still royally pissed as I think
back of the experience but and I can still
honestly say I INDONESIA!