Repeat Facebook scammer jailed for ripping off 24 victims

Lulu Pou jailed this time for her online ticket scam using Facebook. Photo / NZME

Lulu Amberlee Pou ripped off unsuspecting New Zealanders in a sophisticated online scam where she took money for fictitious concert tickets then cut all ties.

Her 24 victims from across the country handed over nearly $6500 to the Whangārei woman, who committed some of the crimes while waiting to be sentenced on the same sort of charges. Pou was yesterday jailed for two years after pleading guilty to 24 charges of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.

Pou was the second woman to appear in Whangārei District Court this week for the online scam, after Tacita Joyce, 20, was sentenced to 10 months home detention for obtaining $7028 from 20 victims.

20-year-old Tacita Joyce was sentenced to 10 months home detention for obtaining $7028 from 20 victims. Photo / NZME

Judge John McDonald ordered the women to pay back the money. Head of the police investigation Detective Sergeant Josh Lautogo said the convictions and sentences showed police would prosecute if people were involved in online fraud.

He said the victims were from across the country, including Christchurch and Invercargill.

Since the two women had been arrested, complaints involving fake concert tickets had stopped.

"They were responsible for offending on a national scale," Lautogo said.

It was a timely reminder for people to be vigilant when buying items online and to always check the legitimacy of the item and the seller and, if in any doubt, to not buy."Police take this very seriously because the financial impact and losses people suffer are significant. There is also emotional stress for the victims and the feeling of embarrassment," Lautogo said.

Pouused numerous fake Facebook accounts and names when offering non-existent tickets to concerts including Six60, One Love, Touchbase, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Homegrown and Listen In.

"Innocent people who thought you were honestly offering these tickets paid money for tickets that never existed. They put money into various accounts of your associates so you wouldn't be tracked down," Judge McDonald said.

"It was a well thought out, clever scheme designed fully for the purpose of ripping off innocent people."

One of the victims was devastated and embarrassed after she could not take her son to his first concert and trip away after a serious crash that left him with a brain injury.

Another victim who had saved for two months for tickets was embarrassed and would not trust online purchasing again.

"You thought it was an easy way to get money," Judge McDonald said.
"I take it you have chosen to live outside the law."

In October last year Pou scammed at least 49 victims into paying her $16,870. At the time sentencing Judge Deidre Orchard said: "I suspect some of the victims will be disappointed you were not sentenced to a term of imprisonment but I'm satisfied the court should step back from imprisonment in this case."

Judge Orchard ordered Pou to pay the victims $5000 reparation at $20 per week.