A young man fears his reputation as a real estate agent will be damaged after his identity was stolen and used in a New Year’s Eve yacht party – that never happened.
Callum Kennedy, 23, woke up on the first day of 2023 utterly confused after receiving a barrage of messages dubbing him Australia’s biggest scammer.
Unbeknown to the Adelaide man, exciting revellers were conned after paying $130 for the fake event organised using his ID.
‘On New Year’s Day I woke up to a message from a girl saying “I hope you had a nice New Year’s because you ruined mine. I want my money back,”‘ Mr Kennedy told The Advertiser.
‘I was confused and ended up having a video chat with the girl where I found out someone had stolen my identity to pull this off.’
Callum Kennedy (pictured) had his identity stolen and used in a New Year’s Eve boat trip scam
About 150 people were waiting on the dock for the yacht, which never arrived. Mr Chappell estimated that the con-artist or artists had made off with about $20,000
The well-planned hoax went so far as to use a business name Mr Kennedy had previously registered years earlier for a boat hire company – but the app never materialised.
‘I never really got around to doing it, but this person has obviously found the registered title and used it as a front,’ Mr Kennedy, who has made a report to the police, said.
He hopes that everyone will be able to get their money back, but said given his profession, there is a lot at stake for him too.
‘I’m a real estate agent and have a very public profile, so if the truth isn’t told it can be damaging to my reputation.’
An estimated 150 people were scammed out of their money after inadvertently buying tickets to the fake yacht party – with the partygoers only realising the event wasn’t happening when they arrived at the dock.
The yacht was scheduled to pick up attendees in Adelaide‘s beachside suburb of Glenelg in South Australia, hours before fireworks were set to go off to ring in the new year.
Revellers were able to buy tickets for the fake party on reputable event website, Eventbrite, for $130 with the event due to kick off at 8.30pm – three-and-a-half hours before the fireworks were due to start.
But TikTok users Jayden Clark and Cameron Chappell said they, along with other ticket holders, soon realised they had all been conned when the yacht never arrived.
TikTok user Jayden Clark (pictured) claimed the party was set up on event website, Eventbrite, and included free drinks, free food, return bus trip and a DJ playing on board
The pair claimed that the boat party included free drinks, free food and a DJ for entertainment and dancing.
The event even offered a free bus ride back to Adelaide after the event.
‘It was supposed to be all-inclusive drinks, unlimited, with some food, a DJ – it would be amazing, we would be on the water to see the fireworks show,’ Mr Clark said, who had bought tickets with a group of 10 friends.
‘We arrived at 8pm, the boat was supposed to leave at 8.30pm, and essentially slowly more and more people started to arrive. There’s no boat.
Revellers have been scammed out of their money after paying $130 for tickets for a fake New Year’s Eve boat party in Glenelg, South Australia
‘This was hosted by Eventbrite which is supposed to be a reputable event organising brand and app, and the event’s been taken down.’
The Facebook page for the yacht party was also deleted by the time the boat was scheduled to arrive.
Mr Chappell said in his video: ‘We booked a New Year’s Eve boat party and when we got there, there was no boat, it didn’t exist.’
He estimated that there was about 150 people at the dock waiting for the boat to arrive and the person or people who created the event had made off with around $20,000.
‘It’s honestly such a s**t thing to do … when people had come interstate to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us on this boat tour, he said.
TikTok user Cameron Chappell (pictured) also bought a ticket and said people had come from interstate to go to the scam yacht party
The TikTok user claimed the advertisement for the party and the ticket for the event looked ‘legit’.
South Australia Police has received complaints over the event.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Eventbrite and South Australia Police seeking comment.
