KINGSTON, Jamaica — A Corporate Area man was reportedly duped out of thousands of dollars after being promised secured employment through an online work and travel programme.

The man whose case was being heard before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, said he received a phone call from a representative of the programme asking for individuals interested in being placed in jobs overseas. The man said he had initially told the person on the phone that he had no recommendations but was swayed when he received another call. He told the court that after consulting with his mother he decided to take a chance on the programme and was directed to transfer a sum of money to a specific individual.

“I said to my mother this person sound legit, it don’t sound like a scam and she say if it sound like a good opportunity I should go ahead and so I sent them the money,” the complainant expressed. He then shared that after expectations regarding the programme were not met he contacted the bank and was directed to someone he believed his money was paid over to. That individual, who was present in court, denied all accusations.

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell, clearly annoyed after hearing several previous cases with a similar story line, charged the police to do more public awareness campaigns surrounding scamming. She expressed that with the high volume of fraud cases coming before the court, individuals ought to be properly sensitised on the difference between the modus operandi of criminal elements and legit business companies.

“A so it easy to get people money? There has to be some public education around this issue from the police’s end. Everyday we have the same problems in this court. People are just sending their money to people. This is abject lunacy,” she said.

“Gone are the days when people holding you up on Half -Way-Tree Road with knife and gun and tell you to give them money…they are sticking you up online. Don’t make it so easy,” the judge added.

The complainant having admitted that he has never met the people with whom he had been corresponding was slapped with a harsh reality after Burrell shared that sadly, some victims will never reclaim monies paid over to individuals online because it is difficult for the crown to make some of the cases.

“Nevertheless we will try our best to give you justice or else people will start to try these cases out in the streets and we know what that looks like. But you make it so hard for us to prosecute these cases when you are sending your money blindly,” Parish Judge Burrell said.

The matter was sent for trial, providing the court with additional time to acquire evidence.