They promised 15% returns. They lied.
Warning
If you are considering investing in or selling property in Bali or Indonesia, please read this page and heed our warning before risking your life savings.
We want to be perfectly clear: we are not the scammers.
Like you, we believed the promises made by these developers. We reviewed the math, conducted our own independent checks, and thought we were offering secure, high-yield opportunities to our clients. Instead, we were left holding the bag—just like our investors.
For almost five years, we were on the front lines, selling Bali property across numerous developments. At first, the illusion held up. Investors earned interest during construction, the builds progressed, and everyone was happy.
But then, the buildings completed. The truth was revealed.
Guaranteed returns printed on glossy brochures.
Market saturated. Occupancy collapsed. Nightly rates plummeted.
We are just one company operating in this market, and the developers have left us bleeding. As the market turned, our commissions stopped being paid. We are currently owed A$350,000 in unpaid commissions for the work we did in good faith.
If they are willing to screw over their primary sales partners, what do you think they will do to you?
Why Are Names Redacted?
We would prefer to publicly expose these specific businesses to protect future investors. However, we have had our personal assets on the island threatened. Furthermore, under Indonesia's strict defamation and electronic information laws (UU ITE), exposing these bad actors directly could result in our imprisonment. We are forced to censor their identities to protect ourselves, but their malicious tactics and this warning remain exactly the same.
We thought we found a safe harbor. We went into business with [REDACTED], led by what appeared to be a confidence-inspiring, trustworthy international management team, and other partners.
They have been operating on the island for years, boast a flashy website, and feature what we now know to be heavily sanitized online reviews. Their Australian Sales Director came from a prominent Australian real estate agency, and they continue to outsource Australian sales agents to aggressively push their operations today. We believed them to be completely trustworthy.
We were wrong. For two years, the facade held. Then, the mask slipped.
"When confronted, they stuck their heads in the sand. Then came the extortion. [REDACTED] explicitly threatened us, stating they would halt the construction of the hotel and withhold both commissions and client interest payments unless we sold more properties for them."
These businesses have burnt us. They have burnt our investors.
And if you sign on the dotted line, they will burn you too.
This isn't an isolated incident with one bad developer. The Indonesian property market is currently a playground for scam artists targeting Australian investors.
Look no further than the recent A Current Affair exposé on the notorious Jamie McIntyre and his alleged scamming escapades over in Lombok. It is the exact same playbook: big promises, shiny brochures, and devastated Australian investors and small businesses left with nothing.