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n the wake of a scandal involving a website that appeared to provide prostitution services behind the facade of an Islamic match-making and wedding service, the Jakarta Police warned on Monday against people being duped by fraudsters exploiting Islamic teachings.

The head of the Jakarta Police cybercrime unit, Comr. James Hutajulu, alleged on Monday that Aris Wahyudi, who created controversial website nikahsirri.com, was seeking to profit from nikah siri, the common practice of Muslims making Islamic marriage vows but not registering their marriages at local civil registries in the country.

“The motive for the activity is profit […], covering up prostitution using religious practices. The suspect said he had no specific knowledge about nikah siri,” James said.

Aris’ understanding about nikah siri came from some information he read on the internet because he never consulted with any religious figures about his business, James added.

The police shut down the website after learning that it had 2,700 people registered as members or “clients.”

The clients, who are predominantly male, were said to have emailed Aris, expressing interest in becoming grooms and taking part in “virginity auctions,” in which they could bid for the hand of a bride who was guaranteed to be a virgin.

Females were also welcome to register as would-be brides on the condition that they should be proven virgins.

There is no record that any female clients had registered with the website and police said the shutdown of the website and arrest of Aris was a precautionary measure to prevent it being used for prostitution purposes.

Aris has been charged under the Pornography Law and the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law for distributing pornographic pictures on the website.

When launching his website on Sept. 19, Aris said he had been inspired by a site called cindrellaescort.com.

On his website, members were required to buy a “coin” worth Rp 100,000 (US$7.50) as a registration fee to get a username and password to choose a bride or groom. Aris is said to have collected Rp 5 million just four days after launching the website.

Earlier, the country was rocked by an apparent scam at First Travel, a travel agency that had promised minor haj (umrah) pilgrimages after customers had paid millions of rupiah.

It is alleged the company used the money to support its owners’ lavish lifestyles while they had delayed sending thousands of people on pilgrimage.

The police have said they are also monitoring ayopoligami.com, another controversial website that claims to help men get extra wives, polygamy is allowed in Islam. “We are examining the content and holding a preliminary investigation into the website,” James said.

The owner and founder of the application, Lindu Cipta Pranayama, however, has closed it down and deleted the accounts of all members, with plans to relaunch the platform on Oct. 5.