Vic: Fans duped by identity thieves posing as AFL stars
29 Mar 2009 1:36 PM
MELBOURNE, March 29 AAP - Identity thieves are masquerading as AFL players in an internet scam that has duped scores of loyal fans.
Hawthorn premiership captain Sam Mitchell is one of several football stars who has been caught up in the fraud.
Impersonators are posing as famous players and setting up profiles and pictures on popular internet networking sites, Facebook and MySpace.
In some cases they answer fan's questions, join inappropriate groups and forums and post fictitious details about players' off-field lives.
"In some of these sort of forums they're being misrepresented, defamed, the subject of malicious type information and generally having their identities stolen," AFL Players Association chief executive Brendon Gale said on Sunday.
"So that's a real concern and it's something, you know, we have a fairly strong interest in," he told Channel Seven's AFL Game Day.
The Players Association has sought legal advice and is threatening to sue or press charges over the scam.
"The organisations that host these sites, that run them, have responsibilities, you know civil, criminal," Mr Gale said.
"In this country we've taken steps to inform the organisations that evolve on demand (that) they cease and desist."
