Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man with a total of 30 offences after he allegedly scammed ten victims in fraud related incidents over the last two years.
The 37-year-old Melton man allegedly used fake names on various apps and websites to advertise his availability as a handyman, including electrical, plumbing, gas and maintenance work.
Police will allege he scammed ten victims - by agreeing to carry out work, taking payments, and then not completing the job - between April 2023 and May 2025. Some of those incidents include:
• The man was hired for electrical work at a property in Diggers Rest on 27 April 2023. A 54-year-old woman paid him $550, but he allegedly left the property - with live wiring not secured - before finishing. He then failed to turn up again and refused to give the woman a refund.
• A 49-year-old man placed and advert on an app to get his new oven installed at a property in Tarneit in May 2023. The victim paid $690.00 upfront, but the man allegedly failed to turn up and ignored messages asking for a refund. He was arrested in October in relation to this incident, and later charged with two counts of obtain financial advantage by deception.
• The man claimed to be a plumber and carried out work on the bathroom at a property in Wyndham Vale on 1 June and 9 July 2023. The victim, a 31-year-old man, paid $4,900 in total and was left with leaking taps. He allegedly threatened him when he asked for a refund.
• A 50-year-old woman contacted the man to carry out work on her shower at a property in Tarneit. She paid him $1000 up front in August 2023, but he didn't show up in October, continued to provide excuses and then allegedly blocked her number. He was arrested in March 2024 and later charged on summons but failed to appear before the court.
• The accused agreed to build a media wall at a property in Thornhill Park in April 2024. The victim, a 39-year-old man, paid a deposit of $1250. When he failed to turn up, the victim requested a refund and found he was not associated with the maintenance company he claimed to be from.
• The man was paid $700 to install some lighting and an air-con unit at a property in Sunbury in April 2024. When the victim, a 32-year-old man, questioned the work, he allegedly demanded an immediate payment and threatened to rip the work out. The air-con unit had no safety switch and wiring was left exposed. The 37-year-old man was charged in relation to this incident in November 2024 but failed to appear before the court.
• The accused then agreed to construct a pergola and decking area at a property in Diggers Rest in June 2024. He began the work, and the 44-year-old victim made several payments - just over $10, 300 in total. He then allegedly left the property without completing the work and stopped responding to messages.
• The man responded to an advert for work to construct a wheelchair ramp at a property in Wyndham Vale in August 2024. The victim, a 52-year-old woman, paid a deposit of $500. He allegedly claimed he was building the ramp off-site and demanded further payments before the work was completed. The victim paid the remaining $500 and the accused allegedly failed to show up and complete the work.
• In March 2025, a 37-year-old man was quoted $300 for work to mount a projector on a wall at a property in Tarneit. The man allegedly started to drill holes in the wall, then left the work unfinished. When he returned to the property, he had a verbal altercation with the victim who refused to pay. Police were told he then stole the wall projector, valued at $1,890.
Police arrested the 37-year-old Melton man on Watt Street in Spotswood, where he was working on a property, on Saturday, 13 September.
He was interviewed by detectives and has been charged with 30 offences including obtain property by deception (fraud), wilful damage, theft, theft of motor vehicle and failing to appear on bail.
He was remanded and will next appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 30 September.
Kathryn Muffett
140664
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