Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested two people as part of two separate deception investigations.
As part of the first investigation, a 27-year-old man was arrested in relation to a series of online scams which occurred over the past two years, between September 2020 and August this year.
It is alleged the man responded to online posts where people wanted to purchase various items before he allegedly sent fake photos and accepted payment. The items were then allegedly never sent to the customer.
The series of incidents involved 61 victims and items valued at more than $38,000.
The Ivanhoe man was charged with 78 deception related charges including obtain property by deception.
He has been remanded to appear before Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on 19 October.
A 19-year-old Werribee woman was arrested as part of the second investigation following a series of online pet scams which occurred between March and August this year.
It is alleged the woman was an employee of a scam operation selling dogs and macaw birds through a social media platform where victim’s gave money to purchase the animals and did not receive them.
This series of incidents involved 35 victims and a value of more than $28,000.
The woman has been interviewed by police and released pending further enquiries.
