'Kick in the guts': Scammers exploit the tragedy of cyclist's death
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In the wake of tragedy, one would hope for a period of peace and reflection, especially for those who are mourning the loss of a loved one.
However, the reality can be far more cruel, as the family of Chris Barker, a 62-year-old cyclist who was the victim of an alleged hit and run, has discovered.
In a time when they should be allowed to grieve in peace, they find themselves the target of heartless online scammers.
The Barker family, hailing from Victor Harbour in South Australia, has been subjected to scams in the two and a half weeks following the tragic incident on the Nullarbor, near the West Australian border.
Chris Barker, a father of three, passed away last month after being allegedly hit by a truck on Eyre Highway.
His family has since been grappling with not only their loss but also the malicious intent of online fraudsters.
It has come to light that several Facebook accounts have been created, purporting to be associated with the Barker family or the funeral services for Chris Barker.
These accounts contained links to a fake funeral service, which claimed that the service could be streamed online–but only after the unsuspecting victim provided their credit card details.
This despicable act has been described by the victim's son and daughter as 'a kick in the guts’, compounding their grief during an already vulnerable time.
The situation is made even more distressing by the fact that Chris Barker's body remained in Perth, and it will be some time before his funeral can be held.
Adding to the complexity of the case, the truck driver charged with Chris Barker's manslaughter was also accused of tampering with evidence, specifically deleting dashcam video of the incident.
He appeared in court on 8 April to face these charges.
However, the Barker family’s case wasn’t unique.
A similar incident involved the family and friends of Bevan Thackeray, who passed away last December.
Ahead of his funeral, a close family friend received multiple friend requests from different Facebook profiles, all attempting to exploit the situation, to which she labelled the scam 'sick'. You can read more about the story here.
What are your thoughts on this story? Have you heard of something similar happening? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
However, the reality can be far more cruel, as the family of Chris Barker, a 62-year-old cyclist who was the victim of an alleged hit and run, has discovered.
In a time when they should be allowed to grieve in peace, they find themselves the target of heartless online scammers.
The Barker family, hailing from Victor Harbour in South Australia, has been subjected to scams in the two and a half weeks following the tragic incident on the Nullarbor, near the West Australian border.
Chris Barker, a father of three, passed away last month after being allegedly hit by a truck on Eyre Highway.
His family has since been grappling with not only their loss but also the malicious intent of online fraudsters.
The Barker Family has become the target of online scammers following Chris Barker’s death. Credit: 9News Adelaide / Facebook
It has come to light that several Facebook accounts have been created, purporting to be associated with the Barker family or the funeral services for Chris Barker.
These accounts contained links to a fake funeral service, which claimed that the service could be streamed online–but only after the unsuspecting victim provided their credit card details.
This despicable act has been described by the victim's son and daughter as 'a kick in the guts’, compounding their grief during an already vulnerable time.
The situation is made even more distressing by the fact that Chris Barker's body remained in Perth, and it will be some time before his funeral can be held.
Adding to the complexity of the case, the truck driver charged with Chris Barker's manslaughter was also accused of tampering with evidence, specifically deleting dashcam video of the incident.
He appeared in court on 8 April to face these charges.
However, the Barker family’s case wasn’t unique.
A similar incident involved the family and friends of Bevan Thackeray, who passed away last December.
Ahead of his funeral, a close family friend received multiple friend requests from different Facebook profiles, all attempting to exploit the situation, to which she labelled the scam 'sick'. You can read more about the story here.
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