Teen IT nerd forged bank transfers to scam Gumtree sellers

A tech-savvy teen ice user created fake bank transfer screenshots she then used to scam Gumtree sellers out of a $600 kitten and furniture for a fake wedding. But one little mistake led to her undoing.

A teenager scammed Gumtree sellers out of a kitten and furniture by forging dodgy online bank statements.

A tech-savvy teen scammed Gumtree sellers out of a kitten and furniture for a fake wedding.

Chloe Kirkpatrick this week pleaded guilty to two obtaining property by deception charges at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard Kirkpatrick used an app to create dodgy money transfer screenshots to trick victims into handing over a $600 feline and an expensive couch and rug.

The 19-year-old IT-nerd, using a fake name, contacted the first victim in regards to a sofa and rug for sale on April 11.

Kirkpatrick told the seller that she lived in Mt Martha and needed the furniture for a Red Hill wedding event.

They agreed a price of $2500 and Kirkpatrick, who inadvisably used her own phone number, texted a screenshot of the supposed bank transfer.

A removalist came to pick up the items and took them to her Thornhill Park home.

Afterwards the seller checked her account online and discovered the screenshot was a fake.

Two days later Kirkpatrick, masquerading as someone called “Kim”, agreed to buy the kitten from an Oakleigh seller for $600.

They met and Kirkpatrick picked the baby cat up, using a fake screenshot to ‘prove’ the money had been transferred.

In May police raided Kirkpatrick’s property and found the missing rug, sofa and the kitten, which was taken to the council pound.

Kirkpatrick admitted the deceptions, saying she “knew it was wrong”. She said she had been taking ice at the time.

She had downloaded an app that could doctor bank statements and make them appear real as a way to convince the sellers to hand over the goods.

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In court, Kirkpatrick’s defence lawyer said she had been kicked out of her former Langwarrin home because of a family dispute.

The lawyer said she moved to Thornhill Park, where she started taking ice almost daily but was now seeing medical professionals for her drug and mental health issues.

The sofa and rug have now been returned to their original owner and she has repaid the kitten seller for the animal, which she has kept as her pet.

Magistrate Anne Goldsbrough said Kirkpatrick had rectified her situation, accepted responsibility and had good prospects of rehabilitation.

She was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond and must pay $500 to the court fund.