A woman who lost $500,000 to scammers has taken matters into her own hands and threatened to ruin the life of an alleged conman behind the scheme.
Jo O'Brien settled her divorce in June 2022 and invested half-a-million-dollars into what she thought was a secure long-term deposit account managed by AMP.
But she was, in fact, talking to scammers who tricked her into transferring the money into an Australian bank account before the funds were moved offshore and then completely disappeared.
A Commonwealth Bank of Australia worker broke the news to Ms O'Brien saying he had 'suspicions this may be a scam', leaving her inconsolable and in tears.
The scammers had been running a small company in Melbourne and had managed to swindle $1.7million from nine people.
Jo O'Brien settled her divorce in June, 2022, and invested half-a-million-dollars into what she thought was a secure long-term deposit account managed by AMP
Ms O'Brien managed to track down the phone number of the 29-year-old director of the company, desperate to get her money back.
'This is Jo O'Brien. The person who you stole $500,000 from,' she sent in a text,
KetoXplode Erfahrungen the ABC's 7.30 reported.
'I will not give up until I get my money back and/or ruin your lives…'You messed with the wrong person.'Ms O'Brien lied to the scammer and told him she had a private investigator track his family down and had connections with senior people in Pakistani intelligence, where the scammer hailed from.
The scammer replied and said: 'If you tried to reach my family in Dubai or Pakistan, I assure you won't get a single penny back.
'Moreover, I also have many connections in Melbourne and Brisbane that could host you very well.'Ms O'Brien told the ABC she then started to play nice, which led to the scammer sympathising 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.
The details of this man were sketchy and there was no proof he even existed or was involved in the elaborate scam.
'If you have powerful connections like ISI (Pakistani intelligence) or any other agency who could raid his house get this b****rd torture him and get your money back,' the scammer told Ms O'Brien.
Ms O'Brien tracked down the phone number of her scammer and threatened him in order to try and get her money back
The scammer agreed to be interviewed by the ABC in March but covered his face so he could not be identified.
He said he knew he'd broken the law by allowing the funds to be laundered through his company but denied knowing it was a scam, simply saying he 'made a mistake'.
He claimed he would give back Ms O'Brien's $500,000 but none of them are yet to receive a cent. 'If I ever had a small hint [that this was a] scam. I would never do it,' he said at the time.The scammer claimed he was paid $13,000 to hand over the details of his company's bank account.Criminal charges were laid against one of the scammers involved but were lateer dropped. Noone has been prosecuted in relation to the scam.
It's understood the scammer Ms O'Brien spoke to is now overseas.She said she contacted police several times about the scam and that victims have since launched a lawsuit against the company.
Victoria Police said it 'has progressed available information on alleged offending overseas with foreign partners through the Australian Federal Police - INTERPOL Bureau.
'Should further information come to light on crimes committed in Victoria, the investigation can be reopened.
'Due to current ongoing civil proceedings in New South Wales, we are unable to comment further at this time.'
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