Petford youth camp founder Geoffrey Guest takes the stand in historical child abuse trial
Warning: This article contains details of alleged child abuse that some readers may find distressing.
Geoffrey John Guest, 98, has pleaded not guilty to one count of unlawful carnal knowledge, four counts of unlawful and indecent dealings, and one count of repeated sexual conduct against a child under 16.
The alleged offences took place in the 1970s.
On Monday, Mr Guest was in the witness box for the first time to give evidence in the Cairns District Court.
Opening the prosecution's case, defence counsel Kelly Goodwin described Mr Guest as someone who was "obsessed with helping people".
Responding to Mr Goodwin's questions, Mr Guest told the court how he began caring for "wayward youth" at Petford station after he would go fishing with them.
"Before I knew it, I had big mob there, six, seven, eight kids just turned up," Mr Guest said.
The jury heard of the numerous awards the accused had received, including an Order of Australia Medal and Federation Medal, both related to his services to youth.
Mr Guest told the court of his unstable upbringing, saying he was taken from his Aboriginal mother as a baby and adopted out as a child.
He said he had received no formal education and was physically beaten, and told the court this had made him caring towards others.
"You've heard evidence in this trial that you were violent," Mr Goodwin said.
"That's incorrect, that's not the way I handle people," Mr Guest responded.
Mr Guest regularly noted he had "long-term memory loss", for which he had been receiving treatment over the past several years.
Last week, the court heard from four prosecution witnesses, including two men who were teenagers in Mr Guest's care around the same time as the complainant.
They told the court they saw Mr Guest "flog" the alleged victim.
A former partner of the complainant also gave evidence that he had told her of the alleged abuse after he saw Mr Guest appear on a TV program.
During cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald questioned whether Mr Guest was ever alone with the alleged victim.
"You were there alone with [the complainant] at times?" Ms Friedewald said.
"Often," Mr Guest confirmed.
Ms Friedewald asked whether he ever had "sexual urges".
"I would've because I'm a normal person," Mr Guest said.
Ms Friedewald alleged Mr Guest would use the complainant to satisfy those urges.
As Ms Friedewald questioned Mr Guest on whether he had committed the alleged offences, the 98-year-old rejected each accusation as either "wrong" or "incorrect".
Mr Guest founded the Petford Youth Camp in the late 70s, and it ceased operation in 1999.
The defence case is expected to include 11 witnesses, many whom attended the Petford camp.
Mr Goodwin said each witness would provide evidence of Mr Guest's character, including that he was "respectful", "gentle and talented" and had compassion.
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Unknown sender: Hi! I'm Patricia,I have some openings that might interest you. Okay to send the details? Yes or Stop Many of us receive texts like this. Most never respond. But Sam* had recently uploaded his resume to employment sites. He was expecting to be contacted with job offers, so he didn't realise he was falling into a trap. Sam: Hi what type of opportunities? Unknown sender: We offer FT, PT!Benefits: -Flexible hours-life balance -AU Citizen/PR/Visa Holder(T&C) -Age 23 years or above -Wages will issue on time Sam: Type of roles ? Unknown sender: This is a online j0B with a variety of j0B types for your to choose from. Can send the complete details to you whatsapp? Then you can decide. By the time Sam cut contact days after these initial messages, he said he had lost thousands of dollars. "I didn't notice the red flags. I don't know what my mind was thinking because I've been going through a lot," he said. 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But, when Ellis offered to demonstrate the workflow using the company's work platform, he agreed to give it a shot. Sam was told he would be paid in exchange for 45 minutes of his time and was instructed to verify the legitimacy of the company's website with a Google search. He was actually being subjected to digital sleight of hand. Sam: Show me how it works and I will see if I am interested in signing up Where is your company based? Ellis: Okay now you can open a browser and search for Codify Media Hub Then you'll need to register your own work account with my referral code (8453E9). Remember to keep each password in case you forget it. Red flag: Phoney website Codify Media is a legitimate company based in the UK. It has carried a scam warning on its home page saying its brand has been duplicated by scammers, since Sam made contact. The company told the ABC it was working to report the scam to appropriate authorities. The scammers appeared to have tricked Sam when encouraging him to verify their website. When Ellis instructed Sam to search for the company, he did so by telling him to Google a specific phrase: "Codify Media Hub". However, the real Codify Media said it had never used the term "Codify Media Hub" in its work, raising the possibility Ellis fed the phrase to Sam, knowing a Google search for that particular term would return a similar website owned by the scammers, rather than the real one. Codify Media said it had since reported a fraudulent domain which was using the term, and searches for "Codify Media Hub" now directed to the scam warning on the real company's website. Both Dr Blue and Dr Childs urged people to take their time to assess whether a company might be a scam by carefully checking out their website. When looking up a company on search engines, Dr Blue advised typing in the name of the company along with the words "scam" and "fraud" in the search bar. "You can also try to look for the company on LinkedIn or other places for reviews," Dr Blue said. "You can ask AI what [it thinks] about what's being offered." Scamwatch is also a good source to stay across the latest operating scams. "You can learn more about the fake investment websites that are designed to look like you're investing through a particular crypto exchange platform or company," Dr Blue said. Dr Childs suggested paying attention to the website and trying to answer these questions. "Does the company have their own domain, or are they using a Gmail account and pretending to be affiliated with an actual company? "Does the website have spelling mistakes? Is there a physical address?" How the job worked In his trial with Ellis, Sam was told his work would involve uploading content to social media on behalf of brands he understood to be clients of his employer. In reality, the brands had nothing to do with the scam. Ellis acted as Sam's mentor, guiding him through the registration process and workflows in the trial account. The work structure Ellis outlined at first seemed simple, but became increasingly convoluted. Ellis described a system where, on top of Sam's usual duties, he would have to address "interbrand" requests, which required urgent prioritisation and yielded higher rewards. As time went on, he was also introduced to "special events", which would offer additional bonuses. The job increasingly began to resemble a game. Red flag: 'Gamification' of tasks Sam didn't know it yet, but he was in the snare of a task-based scam. The gamified aspect of the job, where mundane tasks are rewarded, is an important part of the trust-building, Dr Childs said. "The victim will be presented with a high-value task that can increase their earnings, but in order to achieve the payouts from those high-value tasks, they need to do things like unlock the next level or recharge their accounts by paying their own money into the platform," he said. Dr Blue said the complicated stages and the exclusivity of bonus giveaways that Ellis described to Sam seemed "deceptive". "There were some bonus giveaways that appeared to be there just for doing your own work," she said. "If it's an employment contract or arrangement, you wouldn't be eligible, you would receive that." According to a National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) spokesperson, characteristics of task-based scams include: Advertising on social media, with victims also potentially receiving contact on messaging apps. Scammers may also impersonate well-known recruitment companies. Advertising on social media, with victims also potentially receiving contact on messaging apps. Scammers may also impersonate well-known recruitment companies. Offering work-from-home opportunities with flexible hours and no experience required. Offering work-from-home opportunities with flexible hours and no experience required. Scammers communicate with encrypted messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Telegram. Scammers communicate with encrypted messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Telegram. Victims are instructed to do simple repetitive tasks, such as liking videos or rating product images. Victims are instructed to do simple repetitive tasks, such as liking videos or rating product images. Victims believe they are working for well-known businesses, such as Amazon or Airbnb. Victims believe they are working for well-known businesses, such as Amazon or Airbnb. Scammers demand increasing amounts of the victims' money to be paid to "unlock" commissions. Scammers demand increasing amounts of the victims' money to be paid to "unlock" commissions. Payment is usually made using cryptocurrency. Signs of trouble Within minutes of starting his trial, Sam was delivered an error message warning of an "insufficient balance", preventing him from reaching his daily upload goal. A screenshot Sam took of error messages preventing him from performing tasks. ( Supplied: Sam ) Sam raised this with Ellis, who told him to confer with a "customer service portal" which could resolve the issue before he could continue his work. At the end of the shift, Ellis calculated the total earnings for the day and asked if Sam had a cryptocurrency wallet to receive his salary. Sam didn't have one, so Ellis helped him create an account on Coinbase, a cryptocurrency trading platform. Red flag: Pay offered in cryptocurrency Dr Childs said scammers used trial tasks, like the one Sam was subjected to, to assess whether recruits were comfortable using cryptocurrency exchanges, which became a vehicle for stealing victims' money. Dr Blue warned that payment via cryptocurrency would also attract additional tax. "For tax purposes, when you sell cryptocurrency, you're subject to capital gains taxes," Dr Blue said. How much you would need to pay on the cryptocurrency depends on how long you have owned the amount for and fluctuations in its value. Falling in deep Sam began completing regular duties for the scammers, as Ellis ingratiated himself as Sam's mentor and friend. Ellis: Any plans for today? Sam: Not much, just spending time with the family over the holidays Ellis: Perfect, there's nothing like spending quality time with your family over the Holidays Sam: I definitely agree Ellis: I plan to take my kids to the mall to buy some Christmas gifts … When I was young I was just like you, finding ways to make money while completing my studies. I've been a waitress [sic.], a delivery boy, and assistant Between these conversations, Ellis would make subtle suggestions for Sam to consider investing more to be eligible for a Christmas event, which would reap higher bonuses and rewards. As he worked, Sam's account balance increased, but when he tried to withdraw the money he believed he had earned, roadblocks were laid in front of him. He would be asked to complete additional tasks to unlock more stages and was required to retain money in a work account. Even when he could finally make a withdrawal, Sam was told he needed to retain $100 in his work account for 14 days. The giveaway question Soon after, Ellis floated a question both experts call a major warning. Ellis: Did you know that this job requires working with your own money? Ellis explained that a deposit in the form of a cryptocurrency known as USDT was required from employees dealing with the "interbrands" he had previously introduced. Ellis: If you get interbrand on your work account, then you'll need to use your money to buy some USDT to complete it Sam, already in deep with the scam, believed that his deposits would be returned to him at the end of the day. A drop in the bucket The money Sam had begun contributing to the scammers' accounts represented a tiny amount of Australian losses to scams. 2023 saw the highest losses in job scams at $24.4 million, with more than 5,000 reports lodged across employment and pyramid scams. According to an NASC spokesperson, the centre's work in combating financial losses from job scams contributed to a decline in losses in 2024. Dr Blue said millennials were showing strong interest in cryptocurrency-related ventures, but a lack of knowledge was harmful. "Sometimes that little bit you know can lead you to do things that expose you to more risk," she said. Dr Blue warned against buying into the stigma around the type of people who fell for scams. "In the past, there's this narrative that it's people who don't necessarily have high education levels or might have English as a second language," she said. But her research showed how far that notion sat from the truth. "All sorts of people were vulnerable in different ways," she said. Pressured into paying up Sam resisted putting more money into his account until he reached a point where an apparent lack of funds inhibited his ability to complete tasks. Eventually, he caved, believing he would lose access to the money he had earned if he failed to make a deposit. As he fell deeper into the scam, Ellis further manipulated Sam, priming him for if banks came calling. Ellis: I forgot to tell you. Banks are sensitive to the word crypto. If you get a call from the bank, tell them you have investments of your own as an easy pass. If you tell them about the job, you would be subjected to a review and they would freeze your bank account Sam continued in the cycle until a final "interbrand" popped up on his screen. This one requested a deposit of $18,000 for him to continue his work. Sam was stuck, having met the daily withdrawal limit on his bank account. If he couldn't make a deposit, he would lose access to the wages he believed he had earned, along with the thousands of dollars of his own money he had deposited. His requests for help were met by Ellis with dubious advice about moving his money across different currencies and crypto wallets. Sam's alarm bells started ringing for the first time. He finally started to see his job for what it was: a scam. Ellis: What is your definition of a scam? The internet describes a scam as not getting money, not making any money, and you do make money at this job right? Sam: The only solution is to get the police involved here … If I don't get my deposited money back I don't want profits or any bonuses I want the deposits I made back Ellis: … So do you think police can help you get your money back? Sam: You'll regret it when the police come after you Ellis: Please watch your words mate, now it's you don't have enough money to finish the job so it's a scam? Over the next few days, Ellis continued to message Sam, trying to exploit him further. But Sam had wised up. Ellis: Please tell me if you need my help of $1,500 USD hey mate How ya going How is it going mate? Red flag: Falling for the 'sunk cost fallacy' Dr Childs explained the psychology behind Sam's decision to keep going when asked to deposit money so he could keep working. "People can fall deeper into the trap the longer they stay in it," he said. And the same applies to victims who struggle to walk away because they believe they have invested so much. "If I just pay this extra little bit, then I'll unlock the next level, and that's when I can actually get paid out in crypto for all these tasks," Dr Childs explained. In some cases, victims may not even get a single cent. "In other cases … scammers could send dodgy screenshots for payment then weeks pass, and no payment ever actually comes through," Dr Childs said. "Cryptocurrency as a whole isn't a scam, like for a lot of people, it's part of quite a diverse investment portfolio, and there's a legitimate consumer demand." He said cryptocurrency scams happen because "people jump to the key features that scammers love about the anonymity of the payments". Dr Blue believed scammers were incorporating cryptocurrency because they knew they could exploit people, since not everyone was across how it worked. On a larger scale, Dr Childs said scammers used cryptocurrency to get people to participate in money laundering. Calls for education and more support for victims Months have passed since Sam's encounter with a job scam, and he's still chasing his money. He's made a report to the police and his bank, but may never recover the thousands of dollars he lost to the scam. "I've heard of cryptocurrency before, but I wasn't very educated about it, so that's how I fell into the trap," he said. "I hope my story spreads awareness and more insight for others who may have maybe fallen into the scam as well, but then they're afraid to speak up." Dr Levon Blue believes there is a lack in financial literacy when it comes to cryptocurrency. ( Supplied: Dr Levon Blue ) #conversation Unknown sender: Hi! I'm Patricia,I have some openings that might interest you. Okay to send the details? Yes or Stop Many of us receive texts like this. Most never respond. But Sam* had recently uploaded his resume to employment sites. He was expecting to be contacted with job offers, so he didn't realise he was falling into a trap. Sam: Hi what type of opportunities? Unknown sender: We offer FT, PT!Benefits: -Flexible hours-life balance -AU Citizen/PR/Visa Holder(T&C) -Age 23 years or above -Wages will issue on time Sam: Type of roles ? Unknown sender: This is a online j0B with a variety of j0B types for your to choose from. Can send the complete details to you whatsapp? Then you can decide. By the time Sam cut contact days after these initial messages, he said he had lost thousands of dollars. "I didn't notice the red flags. I don't know what my mind was thinking because I've been going through a lot," he said. Going back over reams of correspondence between Sam and the scammers, we've enlisted the help of experts to examine where things went wrong, and the warning signs he missed. Let's start with these early texts. Red flag: Error-riddled messages The first messages Sam shared with the scammers reveal signs something could be amiss. Inconsistencies in the formatting and spelling of messages can be indicators of a scam. It can be as subtle as a misspelled word or a punctuation mark that's out of place. Other times, it can be obvious. Let's take another look at a message from Patricia: Unknown sender: This is a online j0B with a variety of j0B types for your to choose from. You've probably spotted some issues. It has been theorised this may be a deliberate tactic to weed out vigilant people who would be less likely to fall for a scam. "Those who remain are the scammer's ideal targets," Microsoft researcher Cormac Herley wrote of people who responded to scam emails purporting to be from Nigerian royalty. Unsolicited contact and a desire to move communications to WhatsApp should also raise alarm bells. According to Griffith University cybercrime and criminology expert Andrew Childs, scammers have taken to legitimate employment marketplaces such as Seek and Indeed to post fraudulent job advertisements. The advertisements do not contain much information about the company, or the tasks related to the role. Often, victims are solicited directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or investment scam groups on Telegram. The job A couple of days after the initial messages, a man calling himself Ellis contacted Sam on WhatsApp, claiming Patricia had passed on his contact details to discuss job opportunities with what he said was a media company. Sam questioned the application process several times but instead of providing a clear answer, Ellis continued to share more information about the role. He said no relevant experience was needed and jumped straight into explaining the tasks Sam would have as a "brand publiciser". The role promised a minimum weekly wage of $900, paid daily, with the potential of an increase. Red flag: Unrealistically high wages for easy work Dr Levon Blue, a University of Queensland lecturer specialising in financial literacy and cryptocurrency, expressed concern about the wages offered. "The amount seems to be pretty high for a job that doesn't necessarily require a lot of expertise or experience," she said. The scam also promised daily payment, which was uncommon in Australia. A 'paid' trial Initially, Sam was taken aback that Ellis did not ask for any personal information, given that he did not meet the age requirement mentioned in the initial messages from Patricia. But when Ellis offered to give a demonstration of the workflow using the company's work platform, he agreed to give it a shot. Sam was told he would be paid in exchange for 45 minutes of his time and was instructed to verify the legitimacy of the company's website with a Google search. He was actually being subjected to digital sleight of hand. Sam: Show me how it works and I will see if I am interested in signing up Where is your company based? Ellis: Okay now you can open a browser and search for Codify Media Hub Then you'll need to register your own work account with my referral code (8453E9). Remember to keep each password in case you forget it. Red flag: Phoney website Codify Media is a legitimate company based in the UK. It carries a scam warning on its home page, saying its brand has been duplicated by scammers, after Sam contacted them. The company told the ABC it was working to report the scam to appropriate authorities. The scammers appeared to have tricked Sam when encouraging him to verify their website. When Ellis instructed Sam to search for the company, he did so by telling him to Google a specific phrase: "Codify Media Hub". However, the real Codify Media said it had never used the term "Codify Media Hub" in its work, raising the possibility Ellis fed the phrase to Sam knowing a Google search for that particular term would return a similar website owned by the scammers, rather than the real thing. Codify Media said it had since reported a fraudulent domain which was using the term, and searches for "Codify Media Hub" now directed to the scam warning on the real company's website. Both Dr Blue and Dr Childs urged people to take their time to assess whether a company might be a scam by carefully checking out their website. When looking up a company on search engines, Dr Blue advised typing in the name of the company along with the words "scam" and "fraud" in the search bar. "You can also try to look for the company on LinkedIn or other places for reviews," Dr Blue said. "You can ask AI what [it thinks] about what's being offered." Scamwatch is also a good source to stay across the latest operating scams. "You can learn more about the fake investment websites that are designed to look like you're investing through a particular crypto exchange platform or company," Dr Blue said. Dr Childs suggested paying attention to the website and trying to answer these questions. "Does the company have their own domain, or are they using a Gmail account and pretending to be affiliated with an actual company? "Does the website have spelling mistakes? Is there a physical address?" How the job worked In his trial with Ellis, Sam was told his work would involve uploading content to social media on behalf of brands he understood to be clients of his employer. In reality, the brands had nothing to do with the scam. Ellis acted as Sam's mentor, guiding him through the registration process and workflows in the trial account. The work structure Ellis outlined at first seemed simple, but became increasingly convoluted. Ellis described a system where, on top of Sam's usual duties, he would have to address "interbrand" requests, which required urgent prioritisation and yielded higher rewards. As time went on, he was also introduced to "special events", which would offer additional bonuses. The job increasingly began to resemble a game. Red flag: 'Gamification' of tasks Sam didn't know it yet, but he was in the snare of a task-based scam. The gamified aspect of the job, where mundane tasks are rewarded, is an important part of the trust-building, Dr Childs said. "The victim will be presented with a high-value task that can increase their earnings, but in order to achieve the payouts from those high-value tasks, they need to do things like unlock the next level or recharge their accounts by paying their own money into the platform," he said. Dr Blue said the complicated stages and the exclusivity of bonus giveaways that Ellis described to Sam seemed "deceptive". "There were some bonus giveaways that appeared to be there just for doing your own work," she said. "If it's an employment contract or arrangement, you wouldn't be eligible, you would receive that." According to a National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) spokesperson, characteristics of task-based scams include: Advertising on social media, with victims also potentially receiving contact on messaging apps. Scammers may also impersonate well-known recruitment companies. Advertising on social media, with victims also potentially receiving contact on messaging apps. Scammers may also impersonate well-known recruitment companies. Offering work-from-home opportunities with flexible hours and no experience required. Offering work-from-home opportunities with flexible hours and no experience required. Scammers communicate with encrypted messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Telegram. Scammers communicate with encrypted messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Telegram. Victims are instructed to do simple repetitive tasks, such as liking videos or rating product images. Victims are instructed to do simple repetitive tasks, such as liking videos or rating product images. Victims believe they are working for well-known businesses, such as Amazon or AirBnB. Victims believe they are working for well-known businesses, such as Amazon or AirBnB. Scammers demand increasing amounts of the victims' money to be paid to "unlock" commissions. Scammers demand increasing amounts of the victims' money to be paid to "unlock" commissions. Payment is usually made using cryptocurrency. Signs of trouble Within minutes of starting his trial, Sam was delivered an error message warning of an "insufficient balance", preventing him from reaching his daily upload goal. A screenshot Sam took of error messages preventing him from performing tasks. ( Supplied: Sam ) Sam raised this with Ellis, who told him to confer with a "customer service portal" which could resolve the issue before he could continue his work. At the end of the shift, Ellis calculated the total earnings for the day and asked if Sam had a cryptocurrency wallet to receive his salary. Sam didn't have one, so Ellis helped him create an account on Coinbase, a cryptocurrency trading platform. Red flag: Pay offered in cryptocurrency Dr Childs said scammers used trial tasks, like the one Sam was subjected to, to assess whether recruits were comfortable using cryptocurrency exchanges, which became a vehicle for stealing victims' money. Dr Blue warned payment via cryptocurrency would also attract additional tax. "For tax purposes, when you sell cryptocurrency, you're subject to capital gains taxes," Dr Blue said. How much you would need to pay on the cryptocurrency amount depends on how long you have owned the amount for and fluctuations in its value. Falling in deep Sam began completing regular duties for the scammers, as Ellis ingratiated himself as Sam's mentor and friend. Ellis: Any plans for today? Sam: Not much, just spending time with the family over the holidays Ellis: Perfect, there's nothing like spending quality time with your family over the Holidays Sam: I definitely agree Ellis: I plan to take my kids to the mall to buy some Christmas gifts … When I was young I was just like you, finding ways to make money while completing my studies. I've been a waitress [sic.], a delivery boy, and assistant Between these conversations, Ellis would make subtle suggestions for Sam to consider investing more to be eligible for a Christmas event which would reap higher bonuses and rewards. As he worked, Sam's account balance increased, but when he tried to withdraw the money he believed he had earned, roadblocks were laid in front of him. He would be asked to complete additional tasks to unlock more stages and was required to retain money in a work account. Even when he could finally make a withdrawal, Sam was told he needed to retain $100 in his work account for 14 days. The giveaway question Soon after, Ellis floated a question both experts call a major warning. Ellis: Did you know that this job requires working with your own money? Ellis explained that a deposit in the form of a cryptocurrency known as USDT was required from employees dealing with the "interbrands" he had previously introduced. Ellis: If you get interbrand on your work account, then you'll need to use your money to buy some USDT to complete it Sam, already in deep with the scam, believed that his deposits would be returned to him at the end of the day. A drop in the bucket The money Sam had begun contributing to the scammers' accounts represented a tiny amount of Australian losses to scams. 2023 saw the highest losses in job scams at $24.4 million, with more than 5,000 reports lodged across employment and pyramid scams. According to an NASC spokesperson, the centre's work in combating financial losses from job scams contributed to a decline in financial losses in 2024. Dr Blue said millennials were showing strong interest in cryptocurrency-related ventures, but a lack of knowledge was harmful. "Sometimes that little bit you know can lead you to do things that expose you to more risk," she said. Dr Blue warned against buying into stigma around the type of people who fell for scams. "In the past, there's this narrative that it's people who don't necessarily have high education levels or might have English as a second language," she said. But her research showed how far that notion sat from the truth. "All sorts of people were vulnerable in different ways," she said. Pressured into paying up Sam resisted putting more money into his account, until he reached a point where an apparent lack of funds inhibited his ability to complete tasks. Eventually he caved, believing he would lose access to the money he had earned if he failed to make a deposit. As he fell deeper into the scam, Ellis further manipulated Sam, priming him for if banks came calling. Ellis: I forgot to tell you. Banks are sensitive to the word crypto. If you get a call from the bank, tell them you have investments of your own as an easy pass. If you tell them about the job, you would be subjected to a review and they would freeze your bank account Sam continued in the cycle until a final "interbrand" popped up on his screen. This one requested a deposit of $18,000 for him to continue his work. Sam was stuck, having met the daily withdrawal limit on his own bank account. If he couldn't make a deposit, he would lose access to the wages he believed he had earned, along with the thousands of dollars of his own money he had deposited. His requests for help were met by Ellis with dubious advice about moving his money across different currencies and crypto wallets. Sam's alarm bells started ringing for the first time. He finally started to see his job for what it was: a scam. Ellis: What is your definition of a scam? The internet describes a scam as not getting money, not making any money, and you do make money at this job right? Sam: The only solution is to get the police involved here … If I don't get my deposited money back I don't want profits or any bonuses I want the deposits I made back Ellis: … So do you think police can help you get your money back? Sam: You'll regret it when the police come after you Ellis: Please watch your words mate, now it's you don't have enough money to finish the job so it's a scam? Over the next few days, Ellis continued to message Sam, trying to exploit him further. But Sam had wised up. Ellis: Please tell me if you need my help of $1,500 USD hey mate How ya going How is it going mate? Red flag: Falling for the 'sunk cost fallacy' Dr Childs explained the psychology behind Sam's decision to keep going when asked to deposit money so he could keep working. "People can fall deeper into the trap the longer they stay in it," he said. And the same applies to victims who struggle to walk away because they believe they have invested so much. "If I just pay this extra little bit, then I'll unlock the next level, and that's when I can actually get paid out in crypto for all these tasks," Dr Childs explained. In some cases, victims may not even get a single cent. "In other cases … scammers could send dodgy screenshots for payment then weeks pass, and no payment ever actually comes through," Dr Childs said. "Cryptocurrency as a whole isn't a scam, like for a lot of people, it's part of quite a diverse investment portfolio, and there's a legitimate consumer demand." He said cryptocurrency scams happen because "people jump to the key features that scammers love about the anonymity of the payments". Dr Blue believed scammers were incorporating cryptocurrency because they knew they could exploit people, since not everyone was across how it worked. On a larger scale, Dr Childs said scammers used cryptocurrency to get people to participate in money laundering. Calls for education and more support for victims Months have passed since Sam's encounter with a job scam, and he's still chasing his money. He's made a report to police and his bank, but may never recover the thousands of dollars he lost to the scam. "I've heard of cryptocurrency before, but I wasn't very educated about it, so that's how I fell into the trap," he said. "I hope my story spreads awareness and more insight for others who may have maybe fallen into the scam as well, but then they're afraid to speak up." Dr Blue said cryptocurrency education needed to be more widespread in schools and community organisations. She surveyed 745 Australians who owned crypto as part of her research and found many were getting their knowledge from social media platforms including TikTok. "You've got a mix between individuals who might be sharing good information around how it all works, with people who are trying to scam you and get you excited about whatever schemes they have going," she said. On the other hand, Dr Childs said he was advocating for better cybersecurity protection. "There needs to be some sort of balance between personal responsibility about financial security and also implementing protections about the things that enable these scams in the first place," he said. "What is it specifically about WhatsApp that makes them so appealing to scammers? "Are there any particular things we can change about digital environments to actually help people?" Dr Childs said he believed it started with ironing out conflicting views about how to treat cryptocurrency. Dr Andrew Childs wants to see better policies to help protect scam victims. ( Supplied: Andrew Childs ) "It's because of some of those grey areas in the policy space that people can't get refunded when they get scammed for things," he said. Dr Blue said cryptocurrency education needed to be more widespread in schools and community organisations. She surveyed 745 Australians who owned cryptocurrency as part of her research and found many were getting their knowledge from social media platforms, including TikTok. "You've got a mix between individuals who might be sharing good information around how it all works, with people who are trying to scam you and get you excited about whatever schemes they have going," she said. On the other hand, Dr Childs said he was advocating for better cybersecurity protection. "There needs to be some sort of balance between personal responsibility about financial security and also implementing protections about the things that enable these scams in the first place," he said. "What is it specifically about WhatsApp that makes them so appealing to scammers? "Are there any particular things we can change about digital environments to actually help people?" Dr Childs said he believed it started with ironing out conflicting views about how to treat cryptocurrency. "It's because of some of those grey areas in the policy space that people can't get refunded when they get scammed for things," he said. *Names have been changed Credits Words: Widia Jalal Illustrations: Widia Jalal Editor: Jordan Hayne
