SINGARAJA, Bali – A tourist scam in Lovina has left a British visitor, Curtis William Dyke (26), filing a police report after he was allegedly deceived by a local man offering a fake diving tour. Dyke lost Rp3.4 million after paying for a Menjangan Island dive package that never took place.

The incident occurred on 16 June 2025 while Dyke was relaxing at a restaurant near Lovina Beach. A man approached him and offered a diving package, showing a website featuring professional underwater photos and convincing ratings. Dyke proceeded with the payment after believing the offer and was promised a pick-up on 17 July 2025 at 08.30 WITA.

When the scheduled day arrived, no one showed up. The suspect’s phone number was inactive, prompting Dyke to report the case to the Buleleng Police.

Police later identified the suspect as Komang Mertayasa (48), a resident of Banjar Dinas Celukbuluh, Kalibukbuk Village. According to Buleleng Police Criminal Investigation Unit Chief AKP I Gusti Nyoman Jaya Widura, the suspect operated under several aliases—including “Kocan” and “Doki”—and frequently targeted foreign tourists with fake offers of diving trips and dolphin-watching tours.

Investigators found multiple previous victims, including tourists from the UK and China. Many earlier cases stalled because victims had already returned to their home countries before legal procedures could continue.

“The amounts range between two to three million rupiah per victim. The suspect is not an official tour agent, and the money was used for daily needs,” Widura said.

Village authorities previously received complaints regarding the suspect’s activities, but enforcement was difficult without victims present.

There is currently no public information about court hearings or a verdict. Police have charged Mertayasa under Articles 378 and 372 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, carrying a maximum sentence of four years in prison.