An alleged love scam has cost three men nearly $500,000, and there may be more victims

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Key FactorsAn alleged romance rip-off has left three males duped out of just about $500,000 and a trio dealing with a string of fraud expenses.Extra folks throughout Australia might have been defrauded by the identical alleged perpetrators, police consider. The police have referred to as for anybody with info to come back ahead, saying "We …

Key Factors

An alleged romance rip-off has left three males duped out of just about $500,000 and a trio dealing with a string of fraud expenses.
Extra folks throughout Australia might have been defrauded by the identical alleged perpetrators, police consider.
The police have referred to as for anybody with info to come back ahead, saying “We cannot be judging them in any respect.”

Police consider extra folks throughout Australia have been defrauded as a part of an alleged romance rip-off that left three males duped out of just about $500,000 and a trio dealing with a string of fraud expenses.

Queensland Police charged two Benowa ladies, aged 52 and 29, and a 52-year-old Mermaid Seashore man with offences together with fraud, receiving tainted property, possessing tainted property and contravening an order about entry to info saved electronically for his or her love rip-off.

A lonely ‘widow’ and her alleged modus operandi

It’s alleged the trio defrauded three males between June 2022 and February this yr.

Two males of their 70s engaged in a paid courting service after responding to a private commercial, making funds to a girl in her 50s who claimed to be a widow.

Police allege the girl claimed she wanted giant funds to get out of a piece contract.

One of many males misplaced about $42,000 earlier than elevating issues with a pal a few potential rip-off.

His matter was referred to police in February.

A second man from the Cassowary Coast misplaced a complete of $343,500 earlier than reporting the rip-off to police in March.

In July, police performed searches at two addresses at Benowa on the Gold Coast and an tackle at Mermaid Seashore, the place they recovered $79,200 in money stuffed in pillows.

Investigations on the properties led police to proof of a 3rd man duped below the identical rip-off, with a person in his 50s from Western Australia allegedly defrauded out of greater than $111,000.

Police name for anybody with info to come back ahead

“There are more likely to be different victims and complainants on the market, not simply regionally, however throughout the nation,” Inspector Jason Chetham advised reporters on Thursday.

“We might ask anybody who has details about these offences whether or not they’re a witness or complainant themselves to come back ahead.

“We would like to take heed to their story.

“We cannot be judging them in any respect.”

Two ladies, one man charged with fraud

The 2 Benowa ladies have every been charged with 5 counts of fraud.

The 52-year-old faces extra expenses of receiving tainted property, possessing tainted property and contravening an order about entry to info saved electronically.

Each are anticipated to look in Southport Magistrates Court docket on October 3.

The 52-year-old Mermaid Seashore man has been charged with 4 counts of fraud and is anticipated to look in the identical court docket on September 18.

Inspector Chetham mentioned embarrassment could be a barrier for folks to come back ahead however police deal with these incidents in a non-judgemental means.

“We will additionally present assist providers to them if they’ve been victims of crime,” he mentioned.

“If you end up in a state of affairs the place you must pay cash to get an introduction to folks, that is a crimson flag right away.”

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