Geraldton woman caught up in new online dating scam

A Geraldton woman has been caught up in an online scam involving transfer of goods using stolen or fake credit cards.

Consumer Protection said the 49-year-old received goods from a man she had met on a dating website.

The man, who went by the name Mark Gavin Cole and had an Asian accent, claimed to be living in Sydney and working in Canberra.

After communicating online and by phone for a couple of months, the man began sending expensive clothing, watches, handbags, shoes and other items to Geraldton, asking the victim to send the parcels on to an address in Bangkok.

Initially the victim agreed and then parcels arrived almost every day, but requests to stop the shipments were ignored.

The alarm was raised when she noticed on the shipment docket that some items were purchased by a credit card in her name when she had never possessed a credit card.

The woman stopped communicating with the scammer after contacting Consumer Protection’s Geraldton office.

Geraldton police are investigating and have seized the items.

The victim, who asked to be known as Tracy, said the incident had left her feeling “betrayed”.

“I was definitely very vulnerable … I don’t trust anyone anymore,” she said.

“He sent me some long stem roses and a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day and he was saying all the right things - everything seemed fine.

“After a month I started receiving these parcels and I thought he was just being nice.”

Consumer Protection want to speak to anyone who has been communicating with the man.

His Facebook profile is believed to be still active and Consumer Protection warns against any communication with him.

Consumer Protection’s Karratha office has also received a report from a woman who accepted computers from a man she had met online, with instructions to send them to Malaysia.

The Department’s Albany office has received a similar report.

Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said the incidents were a disturbing twist to scam victims being used as mules.

“Normally scam victims are used as money mules by being asked to receive funds into their bank account and to then send the money to other accounts, usually overseas,” he said.

“But the receiving and sending of goods purchased fraudulently by stolen or fake credit cards appears to be a new tactic that the community should be made aware of.

“Alarm bells should ring for people who are asked to receive and then pass on goods by people they don’t know or have only met online.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Potter of the Major Fraud Squad warns victims agreeing to pass on money or goods that they could be taking part in criminal activity.

“Victims who become involved in transferring goods or money for criminals could risk prosecution, so people should be extremely wary when people they have not met in person begin to ask for favours such as these,” he said.

“This method is clearly designed to influence innocent people to unknowingly facilitate their criminal operations while the offenders remain anonymous or hide behind fake or stolen identities.

“We urge everyone to be mindful of this new tactic and contact authorities if they have been asked to receive and transfer goods or money.”

People who suspect they are being used by scammers as mules or who have been communicating with Mark Gavin Cole should contact WA ScamNet by email wascamnet@commerce.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 304 054, or contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

More information on scams is available at www.scamnet.wa.gov.au.