In an unexpected turn of events in eastern Melbourne, three individuals were targeted and a car windshield was shattered when a mission to snare an online fraudster went awry.
The sequence of events was initiated on Monday, when a 27-year-old gentleman procured an iPhone for $1750 through Facebook Marketplace, only to later discover that the device was counterfeit. He, together with a friend, devised a plan to rendezvous with the youthful deceiver again on Wednesday and successfully lured him into their car, with a female compatriot at the wheel, for a 45-minute drive around the Richmond precinct.
They aimed to persuade the hustler to amend his ways without involving any legal entities, and pleaded for the return of their money. In their earnest discussions, they emphasized the unwholesome nature of his activities, reminding him of the potential repercussions of his actions given his young age. However, the audacious hustler remained unshaken, branding himself a “hustler” in pursuit of “easy money”.
The situation escalated when the hustler managed to alert three of his accomplices. Upon their arrival, they extracted the scammer from the car, and in the subsequent altercation, the purchaser and his friend were assaulted. Fortunately, their female associate remained unharmed.
A recording of the incident depicts a melee of young men shoving the purchasers, leading to rocks being hurled at their vehicle. The climax of the encounter was reached when the dealer mounted the car’s hood, subsequently stomping the windshield, causing it to implode. The group then absconded before the authorities could appear on the scene.
Victoria Police have confirmed an ongoing investigation, while concurrently advising Facebook Marketplace patrons to conduct transactions within the vicinity of a police station to prevent such unfortunate instances. The swindled buyer, sharing wisdom from his ordeal, also advises prudence when engaging in transactions over the platform, warning others not to easily entrust youngsters on Facebook Marketplace.
