Facebook Marketplace scam: Fake buyer ‘armed with a knife’ threatens Aussie – forcing him to leave his home
An Australian man has been left so shaken by a Facebook Marketplace deal-gone-wrong that he has packed up and left his home for good – after the alleged perpetrator warned: ‘I have your address.’
Julian Rivers-Smith, 33, was confronted by an armed gang after he invited a would-be buyer to pick up a laptop from his Ascot Vale home in inner-city Melbourne.
He became suspicious when the ‘buyer’ showed up wearing a face mask and tried to use a fake bank website to pay for the laptop during the incident on March 25.
In CCTV of the subsequent confrontation, Mr Rivers-Smith and a friend were seen running inside his home to safety before slamming the door.
The scammer, who was allegedly armed with a knife, told him: ‘I have your address, bro. Remember your car is right here.’
His accomplice then smashed the windows of Mr Rivers-Smith’s car with a metal baton before they fled in an allegedly stolen Ford Falcon.
Julian Rivers-Smith, 33, was confronted by an armed gang after he invited a would-be buyer to pick up a laptop from his Melbourne home. The confrontation was caught on home CCTV
Mr Rivers-Smith said he was spooked by their threats to return to his home, and has decided to move interstate.
‘This has weighed heavy on my mind since the incident,’ he told 7News.
He said another of his cars was stolen in December – allegedly by the teen accused of killing young doctor Ash Gordon, 33, during a botched home invasion.
Dr Gordon, 33, was fatally stabbed when he gave chase to two intruders who broke into his Sargent Street home in Doncaster, inner-city Melbourne.
‘It’s made me not want to live in Victoria anymore,’ Mr Rivers-Smith said.
‘I’m leaving the state, literally because of the crime – nothing else.’
The fake buyer’s accomplice smashed the windows of Mr Rivers-Smith’s car with a metal baton before they fled in an allegedly stolen Ford Falcon (pictured)
Victoria Police said the investigation was ongoing but no arrests had been made.
‘It is understood that the victim arranged the sale of a laptop at a residential property on Hockey Lane about 9.15am,’ police said in a statement.
‘Detectives have been told that during the exchange, unknown offenders have used objects to significantly damage the victim’s vehicle.
‘It is understood the offenders got into a vehicle and fled the scene.’
Police have asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
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