Hafiz Muhammad Abubakar was furious when he was stung for hundreds of dollars in a Facebook rental property scam by someone with the username Wali Malik.
But Wali Malik isn't a fraud. He's one of many victims who is stressed, confused and frightened.
Waliullah Malik's been scammed for hundreds of dollars too — and that was just the start of it.
His identity was stolen in an elaborate scam aimed at robbing temporary visa holders in a Facebook community group dedicated to Pakistani nationals. The group has 24,000 members.
Several Pakistani migrants have complained that a user has scammed at least $6,000 as he posts homes and cars 'for rent' on the group - using the names of his victims to evade culpability.
'Absolutely terrified'
In early February, Mr Malik, 27, who is on a bridging visa, responded to a post from a man named Muhammad Shoaib claiming to have cars available for hire.
Mr Shoaib sent a photo of his driver's licence to verify his identity, which relieved Mr Malik who was initially wary the car hire was a scam. In exchange, Mr Malik provided his contact details and a copy of his licence for "contract purposes".
After making an advance payment of $330, he went to pick up his hire car from a lot in Sydney's west. The lot was empty.
A fortnight later, he logged on to Facebook to find his name, profile picture, and licence plastered on other community groups, with new victims accusing 'Wali Malik' of scamming them.
That's when the realisation settled in - his scammer stole his identity, too.
"Different people are sharing [my details], saying 'this guy is a scammer'. It's damaged my credibility a lot. I wasn't able to sleep, to be honest," he said.
"I was absolutely terrified."
Now, Mr Malik is frantically messaging scores of people on forums who are publicly shaming him as a scammer to explain that he has been exploited.
"All these guys got scammed and I tried to explain the story - that it's not me, I actually got scammed by the scammer, and nobody knows their real name."
He said police told him the issue was complicated and they could only charge the alleged scammer if they were in Australia.
NSW Police confirmed it has started an investigation into Mr Malik's incident.
'Be vigilant and never trust anyone'
Mr Abubakar, also 27, is one of several international students and temporary graduates .
He was desperate to secure a new place after moving out of his friend's house - and saw a comment from 'Wali Malik' on the group page who said he had a room available in western Sydney.
After the alleged scammer pushed Mr Abubakar to make an advanced payment, he paid $310 for security and bond and packed his things to prepare for moving day - until the man blocked his calls and texts.
An alleged scammer, who used his previous victim's name to conceal his identity, pushed people to receive an advance payment on fake rental properties. Source: Supplied / Hafiz Muhammad Abubakar
The alleged scammer also spoke in Urdu with Mr Abubakar, further tightening ties between the two men.
Mr Abubakar said he felt like he had an obligation to share 'Wali Malik's' details on community pages - until he realised he was publicly shaming a fellow victim.
"I wanted to warn others, especially newcomers who search for accommodation through Facebook groups to be vigilant and never trust anyone," he said.
"[New migrants] can't inspect it beforehand and are desperate to move to a new place - after getting out of the airport they need to go somewhere to live."
He said he was "stressed, devastated and embarrassed" that he was conned, despite completing an IT degree as an international student in Sydney.
He's not alone. SBS News has spoken to three other people who have all been scammed by the same man.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) scam watchdog, Scamwatch, has noted an increase in temporary visa holders, particularly international students, being exploited as rental vacancies dwindle in Australia's housing crisis.
According to its latest data in a 2021 report, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities made 14,060 reports and lost $42 million - an 88 per cent rise compared to the year before.
The median loss for people for a CALD person was $1,200, compared to a non-CALD person, which was $845.
How to protect yourself from being scammed
Scamwatch recommended that temporary visa holders looking for accommodation avoid entering into informal agreements.
They should be wary that scammers target people who have posted ads on classifieds or social media saying they're seeking a room.
And Scamwatch warned that people should view the property they are looking to rent before they pay any money - including bond or rent. Legitimate landlords are unlikely to charge fees to prospective tenants.
In a statement to SBS News, Meta said it works to block fake accounts while recommending people take steps to prevent being scammed.
"Scammers present a challenge in any online environment, and marketplaces are no exception," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"We're committed to safeguarding the integrity of our services, and dedicate substantial resources and technology solutions to protect our community from fake accounts and other inauthentic behaviour.
"We also encourage users to take steps to protect themselves, such as checking reviews of online sellers, not handing over money until you see the item for sale, and using payment options that provide strong protections."
SBS News has contacted the alleged scammer for comment.
