Male model duped by scammers

A 30 year old aspiring model has been duped into becoming a pawn in a global money scam.

The Christchurch man was contacted through a social networking site and offered a modelling contract by an agency apparently based in the UK.

The scamsters mailed travellers cheques to him, which he cashed, taking his commission and expenses, before wiring the rest of the money via the Western Union account in England.

However, he was reported to police after cashing a second bundle of large value travellers cheques in a week.

On investigation the cheques proved to be forgeries.

Detective Richard Corkin said the man, who was totally innocent, with no prior convictions and no idea what was going on, had been trapped by his own vanity.

"If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And don't let your vanity get the better of your common sense,"Mr Corkin said.

- NZPA