Adelaide real estate agent called a scammer after his ID stolen and tickets sold to fake boat party

A young man fears his reputation as a real estate agent will be damaged after his identity is stolen and used at a New Year’s Eve yacht party, something that never happened.

Callum Kennedy, 23, woke up on the first day of 2023 completely confused after receiving a barrage of messages calling him Australia’s biggest scammer.

Unbeknownst to the Adelaide man, the enthusiastic revelers were scammed after paying $130 for the fake event organized with their ID.

“On New Year’s Day I woke up to a message from a girl saying, ‘I hope you had a good New Year because you ruined mine. I want my money back,'” Kennedy said. the advertiser.

“I was confused and ended up having a video call with the girl where I found out that someone had stolen my identity to accomplish this.”

Callum Kennedy (pictured) had his identity stolen and used in a New Year’s Eve boat trip scam

Some 150 people were waiting at the dock for the yacht, which never arrived. Chappell estimated that the scammer or artists had made off with about $20,000.

The well-planned hoax went so far as to use a business name that Mr. Kennedy had previously registered years earlier for a boat charter company, but the application never materialized.

“I never really got around to it, but this person obviously found the registered title and used it as a front,” said Kennedy, who filed a report with police.

He hopes they can all get their money back, but said that given his profession, the stakes are high for him as well.

“I’m a real estate agent and I have a very public profile, so if you don’t tell the truth, it can damage my reputation.”

An estimated 150 people were scammed out of their money after inadvertently buying tickets to the fake party on the yacht, with partygoers only realizing the event wasn’t happening when they arrived at the pier.

The yacht was scheduled to pick up attendees in the South Australian beach suburb of Glenelg hours before fireworks began to ring in the new year.

Revelers were able to purchase tickets to the fake party on reputable events website Eventbrite for $130 and the event was due to start at 8:30 p.m., three and a half hours before the fireworks were set to begin.

But TikTok users Jayden Clark and Cameron Chappell said they, along with other ticket holders, soon realized they had all been scammed when the yacht never arrived.

TikTok user Jayden Clark (pictured) claimed the party was hosted on the event’s website, Eventbrite, and included free drinks, free food, a return bus ride, and a DJ playing on board.

The couple claimed 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-in, unlimited drinks, some food, a DJ. It would be awesome, we’d be in the water to see the fireworks show,” said Clark, who had bought tickets with a group of people. 10 friends

“We got there at 8:00 p.m., the ship was supposed to leave at 8:30 p.m., and essentially, slowly, more and more people started arriving. There is no ship.

Revelers have been scammed out of their money after paying $130 for tickets to 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 planning brand and app, and the event has been removed.”

The yacht party’s Facebook page was also taken down when the boat was due to arrive.

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 were around 150 people on the dock waiting for the ship to arrive and that the person or people who created the event had walked away with around $20,000.

“Honestly, it’s kind of amazing … when people had come to the interstate to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us on this boat tour,” he said.

TikTok user Cameron Chappell (pictured) also bought a ticket, saying people had come from the interstate to go to the fraudulent yacht party.

The TikTok user claimed the party announcement and the ticket for the event seemed “legitimate.”

South Australian Police have received complaints about the event.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Eventbrite and South Australia Police for comment.