Serial fraudster Talia Jade Van-Rysewyk faces Gold Coast court on 28 charges

A serial fraudster with a criminal record spanning more than 40 pages has faced court on the Gold Coast over a Facebook Marketplace scam. Read what she did.

Serial fraudster Talia Jade Van-Rysewyk. Picture: Facebook.

A serial fraudster with an ‘appalling’ criminal record has been busted by police on the Gold Coast over a Facebook Marketplace scam.

Talia Jade Van-Rysewyk used the social media platform to swindle about $28,500 in items from unsuspecting victims over a three-week period starting in early February.

“The victim was selling a vehicle, it was a BMW”, police prosecutor Erin Garland told Southport Magistrates court on Friday, where Van-Rysewyk pleaded guilty to 28 charges.

“The defendant (Van-Rysewyk) has then made an offer to the victim to a value of eight thousand dollars.

“(She) has then demonstrated to the victim details of a bank transfer from her bank account to the victim’s. The defendant has then left in the vehicle.”

Several days later, when the victim hadn’t received the bank transfer, they made searches online where they discovered the BMW had been relisted for sale.

They attempted to contact Van-Rysewyk about the payment before reporting the fraud to police.

The 35-year-old used the same ploy multiple times to defraud at least eight people out of cars and mobile phones that were listed for sale on the platform.

About a month prior to beginning the scam, she had been handed a 10 month sentence by a NSW magistrate for similar offending.

The court was told Van-Rysewyk had a “very appalling” criminal history which spanned 44 pages and included a charge of negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm from a hit and run with a cyclist in 2014. She was jailed for nine months over the incident which left the 58-year-old rider with two fractured vertebrae, internal bleeding, and an aneurysm among his injuries.

The court was told Talia Jade Van-Rysewyk had a difficult upbringing which involved disability and family troubles. Picture: Facebook.

Van-Rysewyk also has current arrest warrants in NSW and Victoria for separate alleged offending.

Her barrister David Carlin told the court his client had a “very prejudiced” upbringing.

“She was born with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other serious issues,” Mr Carlin said.

“Her family life was also very toxic. Her father passed (away) when she was five years old, her mother was a heroin addict and she instructs me she left home at the age of 12.

“She has been on a disability support pension since age 16.”

Mr Carlin said Van-Rysewyk began associating with drug users and became one herself, with her latest offending before the court brought about due to struggles with substances and her lack of accommodation.

“My client is remorseful for the offending,” Mr Carlin said.

“In her words, sorry isn’t enough for the damage that has been done to these people and their cars.”

Van-Rysewyk was sentenced to two years, with 269 days spent in pre-sentence custody deemed as time already served. She was granted immediate parole.