A scam victim who lost $500,000 took matters into her own hands and threatened to ruin the life of one of the alleged scammers behind the scheme.
Jo O’Brien settled her divorce in June 2022 and invested half a million dollars in what she thought was a secure long-term deposit account managed by AMP.
But she was actually speaking to scammers who tricked her into transferring the money to an Australian bank account before the funds were moved overseas and then disappeared completely.
A Commonwealth Bank of Australia worker broke the news to Ms O’Brien saying he had “suspicions this might be a scam”, leaving her inconsolable and crying.
The fraudsters ran a small business in Melbourne and had managed to scam nine people out of $1.7 million.
Jo O’Brien settled her divorce in June 2022 and invested half a million dollars in what she thought was a secure long-term deposit account managed by AMP.
O’Brien managed to locate the number of the 29-year-old company director, desperate to get her money back.
This is Jo O’Brien. The person you stole $500,000 from,” she texted, the ABC 7.30 reported.
‘I won’t give up until I get my money back and/or ruin their lives…
“You messed with the wrong person.”
Mrs O’Brien lied to the scammer and told him that she had a private investigator tracking her family and that he had connections to senior members of Pakistani intelligence, where the scammer came from.
The scammer responded and said: ‘If you tried to contact my family in Dubai or Pakistan, I assure you that you will not get a single cent back.’
“Plus, I also have a lot of connections in Melbourne and Brisbane who could welcome you very well.”
O’Brien told ABC that she then began to behave, which led the scammer to sympathize with her.
The scammer then told her he could put her in touch with the man behind the scheme, who could give her her money back.
Details of this man were vague and there was no evidence that he existed or was involved in the elaborate scam.
“If you have powerful connections like ISI (Pakistani Intelligence) or any other agency that can raid his house, have this bastard torture him and pay you back,” the scammer told Mrs O’Brien.
Ms O’Brien located her scammer’s phone number and threatened him to try to get her money back.
The scammer agreed to be interviewed by ABC in March but covered his face so he could not be identified.
He said he knew he had broken the law by allowing funds to be laundered through his company, but denied knowing it was a scam and simply said he “made a mistake.”
He claimed he would return $500,000 to the victims, but none of them have yet received a cent.
‘If I ever had even a little clue (that this was a) scam. I would never do it,’ she said at the time.
The scammer claimed he was paid $13,000 to hand over his company’s bank account details.
Criminal charges were filed against one of the scammers involved, but were dropped and no one has been prosecuted in connection with the scam.
It is understood the fraudster Ms O’Brien spoke to is now abroad.
He said he contacted police several times about the scam and that the victims filed a lawsuit against the company.
Victoria Police said it has “enhanced information available about suspected overseas crimes with foreign partners through the Australian Federal Police – INTERPOL Office”.
‘If more information comes to light about the crimes committed in Victoria, the investigation can be reopened.
“Due to ongoing civil proceedings in New South Wales, we are unable to comment further at this time.”