A 27-year-old man has been charged in Sydney over an alleged hay bale scam that police say defrauded drought-stricken farmers of more than $40,000. The man was arrested at a Villawood property and taken to Fairfield Police Station, where he was charged with 13 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Police from the New South Wales Rural Crime Prevention team, under Strike Force Woden, began investigating after becoming aware of social media posts advertising hay bales at discounted prices. The seller allegedly requested an initial deposit for the fodder but failed to deliver any product.
Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside urged victims to come forward, stating, 'Please don't be embarrassed by the fact you may have fallen for this scam. The reason scams work is because they generally appear real, coupled with the fact you may be vulnerable.'
The fraud victims are reportedly from the Far North Coast, Mid North Coast, Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands, Hills District, and the Oxley, Nepean, and Port Stephens areas. Police are calling for anyone who has lost money through deceptive fodder sales to contact them.
The man has been refused bail and is scheduled to appear at Fairfield Local Court on January 24.
