scammer

The scammer used this opportunity to leave with all the tools, but the money never arrived in Mr Rudd's bank account.

Unable to find a helpline, he searched on Google, but the number he rang put him through to more scammers.

More than 2,000 scammers signed up to the subscription-based site, many without technical skills, and used it to bombard victims with text messages which took them through to the payment sites.

Meta, which owns Facebook Marketplace, said it works closely with law enforcement to support investigations and keep scammers off the platform.

People who scan them using mobile phones and other electronic devices are directed to websites controlled by the scammers and tricked into handing over data such as bank details.