Fake employee’s scams wreak havoc

Staff at Napier Aquatic Centre are fed up with disgruntled calls from victims of an online scammer purporting to be one of its employees.

The online profile ‘’Ashleigh Ellis’’, who claimed to work at the centre, has scammed at least 24 people since October 11, through various Facebook pages.

‘‘Ellis’’ pretended to sell tickets to popular New Zealand music festivals, including Rhythm and Vines and Bay Dreams, as well as iPhones, however would block the buyers once they had transferred money into a given bank account.

Napier City Council events co- ordinator Renee Baarspul said the centre started getting angry calls asking to speak with the nonexistent Ellis from the beginning of October.

‘‘The first few didn’t explain why they were trying to reach her. At this point we weren’t aware of the scam,’’ she said.

‘‘We’re finding the majority of callers or visitors who have been scammed by this fake identity are upset to begin with, but mostly embarrassed.

Baarspul said the centre had also received one complaint about ‘‘Makayla Leech’’, which ‘‘appears to be the same Facebook ID – just with a new name’’.

‘‘This person is moving from site to site and isn’t just targeting Napier people, they are basically following on to places where there are festivals and concerts,‘‘ Baarspul said.

Napier Aquatic Centre staffers had asked police in mid-October what they could do about the scamming, and it was suggested to explain this was a scam, and to ask victims to contact police and make a formal statement.

Only eight of the 24 complainants had left their name or phone number, and about four people had physically come into the complex to complain.

Council community services director Antoinette Campbell said the council was frustrated with the scamming.

‘‘We hate to see any of our local community scammed in this way and remind anybody tempted to buy tickets or items such as phones from unverified sources to use common-sense and caution,’’ she said.

‘‘Napier Aquatic Centre does not have an Ashleigh Ellis or a Makayla Leech on staff and never has – so please don’t be persuaded to buy tickets from these people who simply do not exist.’’

A police spokesperson said police were aware of a number of online scams, such as this one.

‘‘Police advise that whenever purchasing goods online, there is a risk that the person selling the goods is not who or what they say they are,’’ the police spokesperson said.