The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has issued two men with Notices to Appear in court for allegedly defrauding more than 130 people throughout Australia via an online social escort scam.
CCC investigators discovered the alleged scam during an ongoing investigation into cold call investment frauds occurring on the Gold Coast.
The CCC will allege the two men owned and operated the company Plus One Advertising, which traded as Plus One Companions. Plus One Companions ran the website plusonecompanions.comwhich purported to be a non-sexual escort service offering escorts for hire for social functions, dinner dates and events.
It will be alleged that the company advertised for social escorts, promising they would earn a minimum of $600 per booking and that they could earn more than $150,000 per year.
People who responded to the advertisements were allegedly charged between $219 and $495 to register a profile as a social escort with the website, on the understanding that their services would then be advertised to registered members.
The CCC’s investigation has identified that between December 2014 and May 2015 more than 130 people paid money to Plus One Companions to register a profile as a social escort on their website. The CCC will allege none of these people received any work as a social escort through the website and will further allege the company did not have any registered members seeking the services of a social escort or companion.
The CCC has issued a 35-year-old Helensvale man with a Notice to Appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 30 June 2015 on one charge of fraud, contrary to section 408c of the Queensland Criminal Code.
The CCC has also issued a 33-year-old Corinda man with a Notice to Appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 30 June on one charge of fraud, contrary to section 408c of the Queensland Criminal Code.
The CCC is urging anyone who believes they have been defrauded by this alleged scam between December 2014 and May 2015 to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The CCC’s investigation into cold call investment frauds remain ongoing.
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