Alana Catherine Petridis jailed after scamming dozens of women on Facebook marketplace

A social media swindler conned second hand designer goods worth $60,000 from unsuspecting women on Facebook Marketplace to fund her gambling and pay off drug debts.

A social media swindler conned second-hand designer goods worth $60,000 from unsuspecting women on Facebook Marketplace to fund her gambling and pay off drug debts, a court has heard.

Alana Catherine Petridis, 37, was this week jailed at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court for four months for scamming 87 women from across the country through fraudulent advertisements on Facebook marketplace over a three-year period.

She had multiple fake Facebook profiles where she would post listings on marketplace for second hand designer clothing.

Petridis used Gumtree and Facebook marketplace to list her fake items. Picture: Facebook

When women replied to her listings, Petridis would allegedly direct them to send payments to one of six bank accounts which were set up in false names.

The customers never received their items, despite Petridis promising she had sent them.

When they would ask for a refund, Petridis would block them.

Petridis, who was previously denied bail, continued her social media scams until June 9.

Petridis blocked her victims when they would ask for refunds. Picture: Nicholas Eagar

She also pleaded guilty to drug driving, multiple instances of shop theft, making fraudulent returns and scamming the government of $3600 of Covid disaster relief payments.

In total, Petridis scammed more than $60,000.

The court heard after her arrest, Petridis has offered refunds or partial refunds to some of her victims, but these refunds amounted to about $1000.

During a previous court hearing, the 37-year-old claimed her alleged light-fingered tactics were to pay off her debts to drug dealers and fund her gambling addiction.

She was sentenced with conviction to four months imprisonment and a 12 month community corrections order upon her release.