South Australian police are asking for potential victims of an interstate Holden scam to come forward, after the man behind the fraudulent ads was arrested in Victoria.
Police allege the 56-year-old from Victoria made false documents and defrauded victims who had responded to his fraudulent online ads for vintage and collectable Holdens, such as Monaros and Toranas from the 1960s and 1970s.
According to police, the offending started in approximately 2019 or 2020, with the man allegedly luring buyers into paying deposits for the vehicles online, but would cut off communication once the money was received.
With the ads predominantly placed on Gumtree – a service which has since been usurped by Facebook Marketplace – at least four South Australians reportedly fell victim to the scam last year, though police believe there could be dozens more around the country.
The man was arrested in Victoria last week and charged with numerous fraud offences, and will be remanded in custody until he appears in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on February 10.
Police have asked any potential victims of the scam to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, and quote the reference number 123796.
It’s been a tough time in recent years for those in the Holden community, with even late model Australian-made VF Commodores being one of the latest targets of thieves.
The VF Commodore has a security flaw which has made it an easy target for thieves with certain high-tech tools, with owners resorting to using classic club locks or even parking up their vehicles to keep them safe.
Discussion about this post