A Sydney man was robbed after going on a date with a woman who didn't exist.
The 23-year-old was on his way to Bondi Beach in anticipation of meeting up with a woman he thought he'd met on an online dating app.
Channel 9 news reported that as he walked toward the house where he'd planned to meet his date he was allegedly chased by three men.
One of the offenders assaulted the man and demanded his wallet, police said.
An 18-year-old was later charged with the theft and is on bail.
The two others involved in the scam, aged 17 and 20, were also arrested but have been released.
Since the incident, police have issued advice on how to remain protected when meeting those online.
- Do not send a picture of yourself to someone you don't know and never place a full profile and picture anywhere on the internet
- Never give out personal information including your name, home address, phone number, private email address, details of where you work or recreational activities
- Do not activate your webcam to anyone you don't know personally
- Use dating, chat room or other meeting sites that have established vetting protocols to verify its members
- Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you have only chatted with on the internet. If you decide to meet a person, always take a friend and ensure the meeting is in a public place
- Consider disabling the GPS function on application settings as this lets people know where you are located
- Never give out your passwords or financial details
- If you feel unsafe or in danger then discontinue the meeting, contact police or in an emergency situation call 111
Newshub.
