‘Ruin your lives’: Aussie takes on scammer after losing $500,000

Jo O’Brien was scammed out $500,000. Now she’s taken matters into her own hands.

A woman conned out of $500,0000 has released the damning texts she sent to the scammers, as she vows to get her money back; or “ruin the lives” of those involved.

Jo O’Brien was devastated when she learnt her half a million dollar divorce settlement had been stolen after she transferred her money into what she thought was a safe investment account.

But her money was actually sent to an Australian company’s bank account before being sent offshore.

“It was heartbreaking,” Ms O’Brien told news.com.au.

“I wanted to buy an apartment so I could be secure for my retirement.

“I just had enough money to buy the apartment and then this happened.”

She first learnt her money wasn’t being used for an investment during a phone call with Commonwealth Bank.

A worker told her they “had suspicions” she may have fallen victim to a scam.

“I pulled into a side street and I was shaking and bawling my eyes out. I couldn’t speak,” she said.

“It was basically nearly all the money I had.

“I feel let down by my bank because they allowed $500,000 – five separate transactions over two weeks – into an account (with the company’s name),” she explained.

Ms O’Brien had $500,000 stolen from her. Picture: Supplied

Before paying, Ms O’Brien called the bank to change her daily withdrawal limit from $20,000 to $100,000 and was read a scam disclaimer.

She was one of nine people who were tricked into paying almost $1.7 million into a NAB account used in the scam.

Ms O’Brien claims NAB was slow to act and money continued to leave the account to go overseas after she first alerted them to the suspected scam.

No one has been prosecuted.

Taking matters into her own hands, Ms O’Brien managed to track down the Melbourne address linked to the company whose bank account her money went into and fearlessly drove to the property to confront those behind the scheme.

“I’d lost everything. I just didn’t care. My mental health was so bad at that point, I just thought I don’t care … I wasn’t scared,” she explained.

Ms O’Brien knocked on the door and asked if she was standing at the company headquarters.

“(A man) said ‘no it’s not (the company)... I’ve never heard of them’. But I could tell he was lying because he was looking everywhere.”

“Then he said, ‘I think I might know what you’re talking about. I’ll just go and get my brother’.”

The man then closed the front door, leaving Ms O’Brien to wait outside the house for 10 minutes.

“I could hear all these men talking inside the house,” she recalled.

Eventually the door opened and Ms O’Brien was told the man who set up the company was overseas in Pakistan for a week.

She walked off, refusing to give them her name.

Ms O’Brien managed to track down the address linked to the company. Picture: Supplied

“Messed with the wrong person”

Still determined to get her money back, Ms O’Brien later managed to get a hold of the mobile number of Muhammad Ali Waheed, who she was told had taken over the company.

In April 2024, she sent him a message on WhatsApp.

“I thought what have I got to lose? So I started texting him and he started answering me.”

“This is Jo O’Brien. The person who you stole $500,000 from,” she wrote in her first text message.

“I will not give up until I get my money back and/or ruin your lives.

“You messed with the wrong person.”

During their exchange, Ms O’Brien claimed she had a private investigator who would track down Mr Waheed’s family in Pakistan and expose him.

But Mr Waheed seemed to believe her, replying: “If you tried to reach my family in Dubai or Pakistan, I assure you won’t get a single penny back.”

“Moreover, I also have many connections in Melbourne and Brisbane that could host you very well,” he wrote in another message.

Concerned the message was a threat, Ms O’Brien changed tactics and “started going all nice”.

The plan worked, with Mr Waheed appearing to express empathy for her situation.

“I know it’s not fair … I feel your pain,” he wrote.

He then revealed information about a man he claimed was responsible – an international crime figure known as ‘Usman’.

“I can help you to chase Usman the original scammer, and he has 100’s of millions,” he wrote.

In another message he said: “I decided to f*** Usman up he doesn’t know what I have been through … He still trust (sic) me.

“He is still doing this scams as he is still offering me $5k monthly for arranging an account.”

There is no proof of a man called Usman’s involvement.

Mr Waheed seemed to express empathy over the situation. Picture: Supplied to news.com.au.

Mr Waheed said a man named Usman was responsible. Picture: Supplied to news.com.au

Mr Waheed proposed an elaborate plot to get Ms O’Brien’s money back by offering Usman’s details to an Australian bank account belonging to a man in Perth.

After the funds were transferred into the account, the money would be stolen and used to repay Ms O’Brien.

“This time I won’t be letting him get the money... we stop that payment,” he wrote.

But Ms O’Brien refused.

“I said that’s me taking money from other Australians, no thanks that’s not how I want my money back,” she told news.com.au.

He also suggested using violence, which Ms O’Brien said she also knocked back.

Their conversation later went dark after Ms O’Brien messaged Mr Waheed about his whereabouts in Australia.

She had seen posts from what she believed was Mr Waheed’s Facebook account regarding a flight from Dubai to Melbourne on March 4.

Another post suggested he arrived in Brisbane on March 27.

But when she messaged him and questioned if he was in Brisbane, Mr Waheed replied he was “not comfortable” sharing that information.

Another post suggested he then travelled back to Dubai, arriving on April 18.

“I heard you’ve gone back to Dubai” Ms O’Brien messaged in April.

Mr Waheed did not respond. Ms O’Brien believes he may have blocked her.

Mr Waheed has not responded to Ms O’Brien’s last message. Picture: Supplied

When the ABC interviewed Mr Waheed in March, he claimed he was in the Middle East and reportedly admitted to allowing the stolen money to be laundered through his company.

However, he denied knowing it was a scam at the time.

He also claimed he was tricked by an acquaintance in Dubai who used the business to move stolen money.

Ms O’Brien is currently taking legal action.

“Let down” by police and Commonwealth Bank.

Ms O’Brien said she had been disappointed in the handling of the case.

She claims she contacted police to inform them she suspected Mr Waheed was in the country earlier this year.

But she claims they never called her back to follow up.

She later received an email in May from Acting Senior Sergeant Arnaud Lenferna from Williamstown Station, who said inquiries with Interpol and AFP indicated Mr Waheed left Australia in 2018 and has never returned.

“Although our investigations have led us to a point to indicate that Waheed is a person of interest in your matter, there is unfortunately insufficient evidence to prove criminal charges against in the state of Victoria,” he wrote.

“As such we have referred the matter to AFP and Interpol for further investigation. We unfortunately cannot provide any update as to the progress of the investigation on their behalf.”

Senior Sergeant Arnaud Lenferna sent Ms O’Brien an email in May. Picture: Supplied

Ms O’Brien said she “felt let down by the police from start to finish.”

“They had so many opportunities. They could have done (something) and they didn’t.”

She said she told police what she believed was a threat to her safety, but claims police did not follow it up.

Victoria Police told the ABC that investigators were not aware of the alleged threats made to Ms O’Brien.

In a statement to news.com.au, Victoria Police said detectives from Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit investigated several allegations of online fraud which occurred in May 2021.

“Charges were laid however following advice received from the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions and the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office, the charges were withdrawn.

“Investigators maintained communication with the complainant throughout the investigation and beyond, offering support and explaining the circumstances.”

Police added information on alleged offending overseas with foreign partners had been passed onto the partners through the Australian Federal Police – INTERPOL Bureau.

AFP declined to comment when contacted and suggested the inquiry should be directed to Victoria Police.

NAB Executive Group Investigations Chris Sheehan told news.com.au the bank is unable to comment on specific cases but said it is “seeing a growing number of scams featuring money mules, an intermediary account criminals use to anonymously move money from one account to another”.

“Our team will always do whatever it can to get stolen money back, including supporting scam investigations led by other banks for their customers,” he explained.

“Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a scam should contact their bank immediately.”

In a statement, a CBA spokesperson said it “acknowledges the financial and emotional toll scams have on customers and the community” and has implemented new scam detection, prevention and education initiatives to help keep customers safe.

“We encourage customers to remain vigilant and stop, check, reject suspicious calls, emails or texts,” the spokesperson said.

“If you think you have been scammed or if you notice an unusual transaction or one you didn’t make, contact your bank immediately.”

In the meantime, Ms O’Brien is determined to keep fighting for her money and will take matters into her own hands.

“It’s ruined my life,” she said.

“Im now considering going to Lahore in Pakistan, and hiring an undercover cop to go to get my money back’’

The company allegedly involved in the scam is still registered in Australia.

In a statement to news.com.au, ASIC said “it would review any evidence that supported allegations a company or its office holders were breaking laws overseen by the agency.”

“We encourage persons holding such evidence to report this to us directly for consideration.”

News.com.au has contacted Commonwealth Bank for comment.