A female internet predator invented several attractive personas to befriend a group of Christchurch school boys, police say.
The 28-year-old woman used social network website Facebook to contact at least 40 boys aged between 13 and 16-years-old, The Press reported.
She used several fake accounts complete with false pictures, to befriend the boys and prise credit card details from them.
Police have described the scam as “cruel”. Information provided to The Press suggests the woman would create an attractive new profile then, in some cases, “kill” the fictitious person – using her other personas to break the news on the girl’s Facebook site.
Boys were referred to a tribute-type blog spot for the dead young woman, where they could leave messages.
Police are investigating possible grounds for charging the woman, who used a handful of false Facebook identities including Jordz Williams, Laura Jane West, Becca Maria Jullienne and Abby Jane Zoe William.
St Thomas of Canterbury College principal Christine O'Brien called in police after she discovered some of her students had been fooled by the scam. Ms O'Brien warned parents in an email that the woman was "a sexual, physical, psychological and financial danger", and operated in a "predatory manner".
The woman had also posed as a St Thomas teacher.
"I am aware she has infiltrated other schools. We know of four pupils at St Thomas', but I am very concerned that, because of the nature of Facebook, this is just the tip of the iceberg," Ms O'Brien said.
NetSafe executive director Martin Cocker said it was a rare case.
"It is fairly uncommon for an adult female to groom and scam teenage boys. More effective scammers understand the needs of the victim and play on those. With teenage boys, they want to be liked by teenage girls, so that makes it a target," he said.
3 News / NZPA
source: newshub archive
