Matthew Clarkson, former Bidding Buzz director, yet to pay single mum $19,900 despite court order

A self-styled eBay guru is yet to pay a struggling single mother $20,000 despite a court order and the selling of his Mermaid Beach mansion for $5.5 million.

A SELF-styled eBay guru is yet to pay a struggling single mother $20,000 despite a court order and the selling of his Mermaid Beach mansion for $5.5 million.

Matthew Clarkson is the former director of Bidding Buzz Pty Ltd, which he called the “premier eBay education company in the world”.

The company sold courses for $20,000 that were marketed as helping people to start their own eBay-based businesses, using strategies developed by Mr Clarkson and his wife Amanda Clarkson.

On July 25, 2019, Mr Clarkson lodged a document with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to voluntarily deregister Bidding Buzz, stating the company had no outstanding liabilities.

38 Seashell Ave, Mermaid Beach, sold by Matthew and Amanda Clarkson for $5.5 million.

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However, a court found that was not true.

Bidding Buzz owed $19,900 to Melbourne single mother Karen Hearn. On December 20, 2018 the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal determined she was owed the money after she lodged a complaint.

Ms Hearn signed up to Mr and Mrs Clarkson’s “Magic” eBay course in 2012 while on a trip to the Gold Coast.

Several months later she asked for her money back when the course turned out to be a collection of DVDs and pre-recorded videos of the Clarksons, but none of the personal mentoring as promised on the Gold Coast.

In the Southport Magistrates Court on November 16, 2020 Mr Clarkson, who last week sold his Mermaid Beach property for $5.5 million, was convicted and fined $2000 and disqualified from managing corporations until November 15, 2025.

Matthew and Amanda Clarkson (seated far table) attend an auction on May 6, 2021, for their property at 38 Seashell Ave, Mermaid Beach

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Mrs Clarkson was not charged with any wrongdoing.

He pleaded guilty to making a misleading statement to ASIC when he said Bidding Buzz had no debts.

Ms Hearn told the Bulletin she was still waiting for her money, nine years after requesting a refund from Mr Clarkson.

She had borrowed the money for the course because she had wanted to start her own business with the help of the Clarksons.

38 Seashell Ave, Mermaid Beach

“I went into depression because it was so much money and I had to pay it back,” she said.

“They promised how they could make us successful as well if we took advantage of the course they were promoting.”

Ms Hearn said she was promised “one-on-one” mentoring by the Clarksons.

“When we got the course it was just a bunch of DVDs and pre-recorded videos of Matt and Amanda,” she said.

“There was nothing one-on-one about it.”

Mr Clarkson messaged the Bulletin on social media to say he “cannot elaborate as it’s still an ongoing legal matter”.

“Myself and my legal team are currently working towards a positive and amicable outcome for all parties,” he said.

However, Ms Hearn said she had not had any contact from Mr Clarkson for years, either personally or through his legal team, which her solicitor Desiree Krigsman confirmed.

She said she was “disgusted” Mr Clarkson still had not refunded her money.

“I feel cheated.”