Joshua McIntosh: Man allegedly sold $500k of fake vehicles across Australia

An alleged serial conman has been hit with further charges after being arrested earlier this year for allegedly scamming $500,000 out of unsuspecting victims.

UPDATE

An alleged serial conman has been hit with further charges after being arrested earlier this year for allegedly scamming $500,000 out of unsuspecting victims.

Joshua Peter McIntosh, 52, was arrested at a unit in Randwick in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in February following a strike force investigation into large-scale fraud.

Police seized expensive goods from his unit including designer handbags, clothing and electronics.

Police allege his long-running scam involved his selling and taking payment for non-existent vehicles, and he fraudulently gained hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims across Australia.

A heavily-tattooed McIntosh was initially facing 47 fraud-related offences but has now been charged with an additional 13 counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.

His matter was mentioned in Waverley Local Court on Tuesday (June 22) and the matter was adjourned until August.

He is yet to enter a plea and remains behind bars on remand.  

EARLIER 

BY GARY HAMILTON-IRVINE ON FEBRUARY 17, 2021

An alleged serial conman charged with scamming $500,000 out of unsuspecting victims across Australia has been arrested in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Joshua Peter McIntosh, 51, was arrested at a unit in Randwick on Tuesday following a strike force investigation into large-scale fraud.

Police seized designer handbags, clothing and electronic goods at the unit following his arrest.

McIntosh during his arrest. Picture: NSW Police

McIntosh was wanted on four outstanding warrants before he was tracked down by police who had issued a public appeal to find him earlier this year.

McIntosh has been charged with 47 fraud-related offences allegedly committed across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia between 2018 and 2020.

Police allege in court documents he sold and took payment for more than 40 “non-existent” vehicles worth over $500,000 in total.

Luxury goods found inside his unit in Randwick. Picture: NSW Police

“The accused did by deception falsely advertise a non-existent vehicle for sale and took payment for the said vehicle,” court documents read.

Police allege in court documents he sold one fake vehicle for $60,000 to a victim in Applecross, Perth.

Court documents also alleged one of his methods was to use the website Gumtree to sell vehicles.

Images from the dramatic arrest in the eastern suburbs

Police will also allege he set up fraudulent bank accounts to assist him.

McIntosh did not appear in Waverley Local Court when his matter was mentioned on Wednesday and his legal aid lawyer did not apply for bail on his behalf, which was formally refused.

Richmond Police District, based at Lismore, established Strike Force Camburt to investigate fraud-related offences across Australia to the value of $500,000. McIntosh was arrested and charged following extensive inquiries.

Police inquiries are continuing.