A Regency Downs woman has tried to scam a trusting Facebook marketplace shopper while lying to police

The dodgy plan came undone when the savvy buyer showed police screenshots where the fraudster denied receiving money, despite hundreds of dollars landing in her bank account the same day it was sent.

Kimberly Jessica Jones in Gatton Magistrates Court for fraud. PHOTO: Social Media

After fleecing a trusting mum out of $210, fraudster Kimberly Jessica Jones pocketed money sent for children’s clothing advertised on Facebook marketplace and even lied to police about sending the items.

Despite the other woman contacting Jones multiple times and sending screenshots of the payment she made, Jones continually denied the money landed in her account.

When police got involved, Jones said she had posted the two girls dresses and jewellery items at the Lowood Post Office within days of receiving the money.

The Regency Downs woman’s string of lies sparked in investigation by police who confirmed with Australia Post that no packages were sent by Jones.

Officers also found the money arrived in Jones’s bank account on March 9, the same day the other mum had made the bank transfer in good faith.

Unknown to Jones, the woman she scammed provided police with screenshots where Jones denied receiving the bank transfer.

Police confronted Jones a second time for a formal interview where the 30-year-old continued to deny any wrongdoing, saying she sent the package and had not had any conversations about receiving the money.

Police prosecutor Narelle Lowe told the Gatton Magistrates Court the victim waited more than three weeks for Jones to send the clothing.

The court also heard Jones had previously appeared before the magistrate in 2016 and 2017 for dishonesty charges, where she was given a fine and good behaviour bond respectively.

Jones represented herself in court while wearing army-coloured khaki pants and thongs, blaming her behaviour on mental stress and memory loss.

Magistrate Peter Saggers told Jones she wasted valuable police time with her lies.

“There is continual dishonesty from the moment the lady asked you about the product, and it continues the whole way through,” Mr Saggers said.

“You need to understand if you come back to the court for further dishonesty, then you’re at risk of going to jail.”

Jones pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud – dishonestly obtaining property from another person.

She was placed on probation for 12 months.

Jones was ordered to pay $210 restitution and a conviction was recorded.

Originally published as A Regency Downs woman has tried to scam a trusting Facebook marketplace shopper while lying to police