More than 100 partygoers were duped out of their money after mistakenly purchasing tickets to a false New Year’s Eve boat party. The victims discovered the event was a fraud when they got to the dock.
In South Australia’s Glenelg, a coastal suburb of Adelaide, the boat was scheduled to pick up guests a few hours before the planned fireworks display to usher in the new year.
For $130, revelers could purchase tickets to the fictitious party, which was scheduled to begin at 8.30 p.m., or three and a half hours before the fireworks were to begin.
However, when the boat never showed up, TikTok users Jayden Clark and Cameron Chappell said they, along with other ticket holders, quickly realized they had all been duped.
The duo said that the boat party offered free food, beverages, and entertainment in the form of a DJ.
Even a free bus journey back to Adelaide was provided after the event.
Mr. Clark, who had purchased tickets with a party of 10 friends, said, “It was going to be all-inclusive beverages, limitless, with some food, a DJ – it would be wonderful, we would be on the lake to view the fireworks display.”
We came at 8 o’clock, the boat was scheduled to go at 8.30 o’clock, and basically more and more people began to come gradually. There isn’t a boat.
Eventbrite, which is considered to be a respected event-organizing company and software, hosted this; the event has since been removed.
By the time the boat was supposed to arrive, the Facebook page for the yacht party had already been removed.
“We scheduled a New Year’s Eve boat party, but when we got there, there was no boat, it didn’t exist,” Mr. Chappell said in his video.
He estimated that there were roughly 150 people waiting for the boat at the port, and whomever organized the event got off with about $20,000, in his estimation.
When folks had traveled from other states to join us on this boat cruise for New Year’s Eve, he observed, “It’s honestly such a s**t thing to do.”
The party’s and the event’s tickets, according to the TikTok user, seemed to be “legit.”
Concerning the incident, South Australia Police has received complaints.
»Adelaide New Year’s Eve party boat scams 150 people«