Alleged romance scammers Helen Dimitrijevski, Sophie Dimitrijevski front Southport court

Two women charged with fleecing close to $500,000 in an online romance scam have surrendered themselves at court. Read why and details of their appearance

Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski leaving the Southport courthouse. Picture: Jessica Paul

Two women accused of fleecing close to $500,000 from men across Queensland in an online romance scam have surrendered themselves at court after warrants were issued for their arrest.

Helen Dimitrijevski, 52, and Sophie Dimitrijevski, 29, hid their faces with clothing and an umbrella as they walked from the Southport courthouse on Wednesday.

Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski leaving the Southport courthouse. Picture: Jessica Paul

The Benowa women are each charged with five counts of fraud and one each of possessing and receiving tainted property. Helen is also charged with contravening an order necessary to access information stored electronically.

It is alleged the pair and their third co-accused, Mermaid Beach man Murray Iranui Hopa, were involved in an eight-month online dating scam that saw three men transfer a combined sum of almost $500,000 to someone they believed was a widow in her 50s.

Queensland police charge three people in relation to a series of alleged online romance scams

Police say the alleged victims - from the Cassowary Coast, Toowoomba, and Western Australia - lost $343,000, $42,000, and $111,000 to the scam respectively.

Magistrate Jane Bentley issued arrest warrants for both Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski after they had failed to arrive at court by the time their cases were mentioned on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Bentley refused requests to grant any extra time, saying court proceedings had started several hours earlier and both women knew they were required to attend in person.

Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski quickly walked to a waiting car outside the Southport courthouse. Picture: Jessica Paul

The Benowa women were dressed in all black when they fronted Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning beside defence lawyer Farshad Sarabi, of Hannay Lawyers.

Mr Sarabi apologised for any inconvenience caused by the previous day’s delay and said he still needed parts of the brief of evidence, which he expected would be “very large”.

Both of his clients were granted fresh bail, ignoring reporters’ questions as they made their way to a waiting vehicle outside the courthouse.

They and Mr Hopa will all have their cases mentioned on October 24.