A New Zealand Facebook scammer who has left a trail of angry people in her wake over several years says she needs help to stop and deserves everything that's coming to her.

Christchurch woman Summer Morrell admitted to Stuff that she was responsible for several Facebook group scams where she received money for goods that were never dispatched.

"Yes. It's definitely all correct."

READ MORE: Baggage handlers seen in viral Qantas video sacked

On Thursday morning – hours after this story was published – Morell still had listings of iPhones for sale on Facebook marketplace. They were pulled down about 9am.

On Tuesday, Morrell's fraud was exposed when Jessica Emily shared publicly on social media community pages how she had been fleeced of $158 after she bought a vintage dress from Morrell.

The former Christchurch resident had been looking for a specific second-hand dress within a private vintage clothing group.

Morrell, who also goes by the name Summer Hunt and other aliases, had joined the group and sent Emily screenshots of the same dress, saying she had one for sale.

Morrell then asked Emily to pay her friend, Jess, as she was the person who had the dress for sale.

Emily paid but asked for the friend's contact details days later when she could not get Morrell to pass on the tracking number of the parcel.

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The phone number turned out to be Morrell's but when confronted she still claimed the number was her friend's, but called the friend by a different name.

"I had a funny feeling about the sale, but did an image reverse search before purchasing, which initially showed nothing, so I decided to go ahead."

Emily still has not received the dress.

Within hours of posting about Morrell, she received a barrage of private messages from other victims. Some have subsequently filed police reports.

Northland farmer Maree Broughton had a similar experience when she bought a Furmoo purse on October 9 as a Christmas present for her mother.

Broughton posted about what she was after in a private Facebook group, and received a direct message from Morrell who said she had the same purse for sale.

Broughton, like Emily, trusted the group she was in, and checked out Morrell's profile, which included pictures of children and animals.

Both women thought she looked legitimate.

READ MORE: Sydney 'pig butchering' victim loses $46k in search for love

However, $64.50 later and after many messages asking for parcel tracking numbers – and at least four promises of a refund – Broughton did not believe she would ever get the purse or her money back.

"Hopefully she gets some sort of help," Broughton said.

For Gabrielle Schwabe, Morrell's scam left her without a suitable formal dress for an important black-tie corporate work function on Friday.

The Lower Hutt woman struggled to find a plus-sized dress, and when she did find one she liked, she asked on a private clothing Facebook group if anyone had one to sell.

She posted a photo of the dress she wanted, and Morrell direct messaged her with a picture of one.

Schwabe paid $106 and was relieved she would be able to go to the important networking event.

However, after days of waiting, Schwabe started to worry.

Morrell said a boyfriend had the tracking number for the parcel, but claimed he couldn't be contacted. She then convinced her she had paid the amount into a loan account she could not access, but Morrell's bank told Schwabe that wasn't correct.

READ MORE: Christmas scam that 'could cost unwary victims thousands'

Morrell eventually admitted she had the money and refunded Schwabe last Friday.

But Schwabe no longer had a dress and had decided she would not attend the black tie event.

She was puzzled at Morrell's actions.

"If she sent the money back it's obviously not the money – it's the thrill of it."

Stuff has seen multiple messages from other people Morrell has tricked.

On Tuesday, Morrell admitted she had previously been fined and sentenced to community service for accessing a computer system dishonestly while she owned a cleaning business.

When asked why she continued to scam people, she said: "I need help… I don't think it's compulsive, but I definitely need help with a few things… I don't know who to ask for help. I deserve everything that's coming to me anyway because I'm a horrible person that needs help."

Morrell alleged the court ordered her to undergo counselling, but that had not happened.

She said she was struggling financially and was trying to get away from family members who were using drugs.

"I know it's not an honest way to do it."

Morrell said she wanted to pay back those she had scammed, which her family would help her do.

She said she was contemplating handing herself in to police after her scams were made public, and she was going to lose her cleaning job as a result of her offending.

A police spokesperson confirmed they had been notified of a woman who was reportedly scammed while trying to purchase a dress from a seller on Facebook.

Police were continuing to make inquiries, they said.

This story originally appeared on stuff.co.nz and has been republished with permission

A young child has survived a crash that killed two other people when a cattle truck allegedly hit a car near Glen Innes in New South Wales.

The two adults and child were trapped inside the car when the wreck was found on the Gwydir Highway about 11.15am today. 

Police were able to free the child who only suffered minor injuries, but the driver and passenger both died at the scene.

READ MORE: Sydney 'pig butchering' victim loses $46k in search for love

The child has been taken by NSW Ambulance for further assessments, while the truck driver was treated by paramedics for minor injuries. 

Multiple cows died at the scene and many others had to be euthanised.

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NSW Police have closed the Gwydir Highway is closed in both directions at Matheson.

"Eastbound traffic from Inverell is being diverted via Bundarra Road to Gilgai, Guyra Road to Guyra, and New England Highway to Glen Innes," NSW Police said.

A NSW Transport Management Centre (TMC)spokesperson said Westbound traffic was diverting via the reverse route and the diversion was suitable for all vehicles.

"Motorists using this diversion should allow about an hour extra travel time and follow the directions of emergency services and traffic crews," TMC said.

Two baggage handlers subcontracted by Qantas have been officially sacked after shocking footage emerged of the duo slamming luggage into a carousel.

The video, shot in secret at Melbourne Airport, has since gone viral around the country and prompted an "urgent investigation" conducted by contracting company Swissport, used by Qantas.

"Swissport trains and manages all staff to handle customer possessions with care and diligence," a Swissport spokesman said.

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"Our 3,000 strong team across the network works hard to ensure these standards are upheld, and it is important that when those standards are breached by a small group of individuals that we take action.

"An urgent investigation was undertaken into the recent behaviour of two team members at Melbourne Airport who were handling customer luggage in an unacceptable manner.

"As a result of that investigation, Swissport has terminated the employment of these individuals."

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The company said staff had also "conducted a briefing of all operations teams to remind them of the high standards we expect, and enforce".

"The unacceptable behavior of a few individuals will not be allowed to tarnish the quality work of our whole team," the spokesperson said.

Video shows the handlers slamming the luggage of Qantas passengers onto the carousel at Melbourne Airport.

The duo throws bag after bag onto the conveyer belt behind the baggage claim area, before of the men lifts a suitcase well above his head and hurls it to the conveyor belt.

When the video first became public Qantas condemned the behaviour as "unacceptable".

Click through to see every one of Time's Person of the Year for the past 25 years.

When Anne* found herself suddenly single and looking for a partner last year, her friends encouraged her to "put herself out there" with online dating.

Having not used dating apps in years, she tentatively created a profile on Tinder.

To Anne's surprise, she was matched with quite a few men, and not all of them seemed like the usual sleazy types.

READ MORE: Kate met Gabriel on a dating site. He drained her bank account and broke her heart

"There were about four of them I was chatting with. They seemed business-oriented, mature, and just like gentlemen really, not so interested in sex," she said. 

They all had another thing in common, Anne said.

They all seemed very interested in cryptocurrency trading.

Anne now believes each of these men was a scammer.

But it was only one of them that would lead to her downfall.

"Looking back, it seemed like it was almost inevitable. I was just unlucky that the most articulate one was linked to me," Anne said.

Brutal term for a brutal scam

He told Anne his name was Carlos*.

His family was Spanish but he was living in Sydney where he ran an importing and exporting business.

Soon Anne and Carlos were chatting on WhatsApp every day, sharing lots of personal messages about their lives.

Carlos would send photos of himself, what he was eating, and his outings with friends.

But Carlos wasn't real.

He was a persona, most likely created by multiple scammers working together in shifts from somewhere in Asia. 

The scammers took their lines from written scripts specifically designed to manipulate the vulnerable and extract as much cash as possible from their victims.

Later, Anne would find that she had fallen for a new type of scam, called "pig butchering".

READ MORE: Tasmanian woman shares catfishing nightmare

The brutal term was coined in China, where the scams appear to have originated, with victims typically approached over WeChat. 

More recently, pig butchering scams have spread to target victims in Australia and other western countries.

Both the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Global Anti-Scam Organisation have issued recent warnings about pig butchering scams, which are described as a cross between a romance and cryptocurrency scam.

Australian cybercrime expert Simon Smith, from the Online Crime Action Centre, said he had worked with many local victims of pig butchering scams, with some losing up to $850,000.

"They are very elaborate and relentless, the scammers keep going until they have taken their victim's last cent, and then some," Smith said.

Anne said it never occurred to her that Carlos could be a scammer operating from overseas.

His Tinder profile, which tracks a user's location, appeared to show he lived just 17 kilometres away from her in Sydney.

His phone number on WhatsApp also looked to be Australian. 

Anne and Carlos arranged to meet up in person several times, but the meetings kept getting cancelled. 

Anne said she felt nervous meeting a stranger in person anyway, because of warnings from friends about her personal safety.

"I thought it might be better to start off (a relationship) on my phone," she said.

"It was only later that I realised I wasn't safe on my phone in my own home at all."

Fattened up for slaughter

Carlos first mentioned cryptocurrency to Anne about a week after they met, saying a friend had taught him how to trade.

With his encouragement, Anne set up an account with an online cryptocurrency exchange. 

Carlos then directed her to transfer the cryptocurrency she bought to an account on another website. 

Anne first put $1000 into the account with the website, before withdrawing it to test the funds would be returned to her.

Anne then transferred $3000 worth of cryptocurrency to the same account, before withdrawing $1000 in profits.

These initial transactions gave her a growing confidence.

When Anne had questions about her investment, Carlos would direct her to contact the website's "customer service".

What Anne didn't realise was that the scammers were in control of the website, along with its customer service.

Over the next few weeks, Anne's "profits" were appearing to build up fast.

"I remember one day he showed me I had $15,000 in profits," Anne said.

Unknowingly, Anne was being fattened up, ready for the slaughter. 

All up, she had put $46,000 – almost all of her life savings – into the "investment".

When Anne tried to withdraw the profits she was told she needed to pay $20,000 in "tax" before she could access the money.

"I couldn't withdraw until I put more money in, and that was pretty much a big red flag to me," Anne said.

While Anne now suspected that she had been scammed, it wasn't until she called Carlos' number that she knew for sure.

"At first he didn't answer, but then he called back," she said. 

"I heard his voice, and he barely knew English. I was like, 'Oh my god, give me my money back.'

"He still stuck to the script, saying I had to pay the $20,000 tax to get my money back."

Victims left broken

Anne said the scam had a devastating impact on not only her finances but also her mental health.

"I felt so stupid and shameful about this whole thing," she said.

"I'm so stressed all the time, it has really put me in a really bad mental state.

"I used to be very outgoing, but even my friends have no idea the level of damage this has done to me."

Anne said she felt let down by the companies that gave the scammers a platform to orchestrate their crimes, including Tinder and her bank ANZ.

When contacted by 9news.com.au, Tinder did not answer questions about whether it had heard of its location trackers being manipulated by scammers.

A Tinder spokesperson said the company had a "zero tolerance" for romance scammers.

"We are constantly investing in ways to keep members safe while they're using Tinder – including a robust suite of safety features and in-app safety education, fraud detection technology, and working directly with law enforcement when needed," the spokesperson said.

Anne said when she contacted ANZ, the bank originally informed her she would be unable to get any of her money back. 

However, after she made a report to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), the bank offered her $1000 as a "goodwill" gesture.

A spokesperson for ANZ said AFCA was reviewing the case and the bank would continue to work with AFCA during the process.

"ANZ considers each case on its merits," the spokesperson said.

"We will reimburse our customers for any unauthorised transactions on their account, provided they didn't contribute to the loss."

Preying on the vulnerable

This year to October, Australians lost more than $322 million in investment scams, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch.

Dating and romance scams account for $35 million in losses during the same period. 

Smith said dating websites and apps were traditionally rife with scammers, who often used information provided by their victims on their profiles to psychologically manipulate them.

"These scams prey on the vulnerable and the scripts the scammers follow are designed to exploit any weaknesses," Smith said.

"For example, if you are a bit overweight, they will compliment you and say you look really good in that photo – it builds their victims' confidence and trust.

"Pig butchering scams take more than just money – they are really cruel and that's partly where the name comes from I think."

Smith said he had seen people lose their partners, homes and all of their superannuation to the scams.

"It is an epidemic, and some people become suicidal because of it," he said.

Smith said there was often very little anyone could do to recover money once it was lost in a cryptocurrency scam, other than try to negotiate a payment with their banks if there had been some failing on their part.

"Australia has a massive problem with law enforcement and cybercrime, they don't actually grab it by the neck properly, or have the thirst to be able to stop it," Smith said. 

"Most people just walk away because it's too hard."

Smith's tips for you can avoid falling victim to romance or investment scams include:

• Talk to friends and family about your experiences to get another perspective. Confiding in someone else could help prevent or minimise any losses.
• Be wary of crypto, which has always been associated with scams and criminal activity, despite the digital currency becoming more mainstream in recent years.
• If something doesn't sound normal then it could be a scam. For instance, why would you be asked to pay your tax through crypto, or why would you have to use gift cards? 
• When it comes to relationships, understand that you really don't know anyone at all until you physically meet them in person. 

*Names have been changed.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the risk of nuclear conflict was rising but maintained his government had not "gone mad" and would not deploy its nuclear weapons first.

Putin boasted that Russia's nuclear arsenal was "more advanced and state-of-the-art than what any other nuclear power has" but insisted his nation would only use it if it was attacked.

He made the comments at Russia's annual human rights council meeting on Wednesday, where he also said the Ukraine war could be a "lengthy process".

READ MORE: Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Time magazine's Person of the Year 2022

"About the threat of nuclear war … such a threat is growing," Putin said, adding that it was "a sin to hide it".

Amid Russian military failures during the nine-month long Ukraine war, the Kremlin's capacity to deploy nuclear weapons has come under close scrutiny.

But Putin rejected Western criticism that his previous nuclear weapons comments amounted to sabre-rattling, claiming they were "not a factor provoking an escalation of conflicts, but a factor of deterrence".

"We haven't gone mad. We are fully aware of what nuclear weapons are," Putin said.

He added, without elaborating: "We have them, and they are more advanced and state-of-the-art than what any other nuclear power has."

READ MORE: Ukraine leader defiant as drone strikes hit Russia again

"We're not going to run around the world brandishing this weapon like a razor."

In his televised remarks, Putin didn't address Russia's battlefield setbacks or its attempts to cement control over the seized regions but acknowledged problems with supplies, treatment of wounded soldiers and limited desertions.

But he admitted that his "special military operation" in Ukraine is taking longer than expected but said it has succeeded in seizing new territory.

"Of course, it could be a lengthy process," Putin said of war that began with Russia's invasion on February 24 and has displaced millions from their homes, and killed and wounded tens of thousands.

READ MORE: US intel chief thinking 'optimistically' for Ukraine forces

Despite its length, he showed no signs of letting up, vowing to "consistently fight for our interests" and to "protect ourselves using all means available".

He reiterated his claim that he had no choice but to send in troops, saying that for years, the West responded to Russia's security demands with "only spit in the face".

In brazen drone attacks, two strategic Russian air bases more than 500km from the Ukraine border were struck Monday. Moscow blamed Ukraine, which didn't claim responsibility.

It is being touted as the documentary of the year, providing viewers with "unprecedented" access into the private lives of two of the world's most talked-about figures – but just hours before its release, the project remains shrouded in controversy.

Harry and Meghan, distributed by Netflix, will land on screens in two stages – the first three episodes premiering tonight and a subsequent three set to debut on December 15.

Though the Sussexes bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview – which unearthed claims of racism within the royal family – may still be fresh in the minds of many, a lot has changed since March 2021.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Harry and Meghan's new series including how and when to watch

The duo welcomed their second child, Lilibet, in June of last year, mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth II just months ago, and have become more outspoken than ever over their treatment by the "The Firm" and the media.

Some royal experts have even speculated that the Queen's death "has changed everything" for the controversial couple, who are now said to be less concerned about the impact revelations aired in the series has on ties with the family.

In fact, any sense that the documentary will provide viewers with a positive outlook on the royal family were firmly quashed this week following the release of the official trailer.

"It's a dirty game," Harry says, pointing to what he claims is the Palace's personal agenda.

"There's a hierarchy of the family. 

"You know there's leaking… but there's also planting of stories."

And while none of the information presented in the trailer is particularly new or groundbreaking, especially to keen royal watchers, there is a noticeable shift in tone in how it's been packaged.

The first highly produced minute-long trailer sets the stage for an explosive, detailed look into the ever-expanding rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal clan.

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But behind it's glossy production, there's also a distinct feeling that the story does not have a happy ending.

"No one knows the full truth," Harry ominously states.

"We know the full truth."

The Duke then goes on to describe "the pain and suffering of women" who marry into the institution as a "feeding frenzy."

"I realised – they're never going to protect you," Meghan interjects.

One commentator featured in the clip even goes as far as describing a "war" waged against Meghan to suit "other people's agendas".

For anyone paying attention, that's exactly what the Duchess has been claiming the whole time.

It doesn't take a genius either to recognise the clear parallels being drawn between Meghan and Harry's mother – the late Princess Diana – who is pictured at one point being desperately hounded by the press.

READ MORE: Self-proclaimed 'prophet' in US had 20 wives, mostly underage

The trailer makes clear that for Harry, only one thing factored in his decision to distance himself from the institution: protecting his family.

"I didn't want history repeating itself," he said.

Many, however, have since criticised him over what has been perceived as hypocrisy.

Harry, up until recent years a notoriously private man, is now at the forefront of one of the most controversial, and likely to be most talked about, pieces of history for decades to come.

Once firm on their stance that moving abroad was solely to distance themselves from the media storm that followed their every move in the UK, even the couple's fiercest supporters would struggle to argue that's still the case.

With just hours left until viewers are given their first dose of the hotly anticipated docuseries, representatives from the Sussexes camp have been working in overdrive to minimise any negative press in the lead-up.

Yesterday, the duo were criticised over their use of stock images throughout the official trailer, after it emerged that at least three pieces of footage were taken from events that had nothing to do with them.

Two high-profile members of the Sussexes' Archewell organisation also announced their departures this week, leading to speculation the resignations are linked to a broader restructure of the group, more focused on taking the company in a new direction.

While it's impossible to tell what revelations will emerge in the days and weeks to come, – and the impact they'll have on the already-strained relationship between the Sussexes and their British counterparts – it's clear the six-part series will be compelling viewing.

As Meghan herself put it, "the stakes are high". 

Nine, the publisher of this website, also owns streaming service Stan.

The US Transportation and Security Agency (TSA) found a small dog inside a carry-on backpack when going through the X-ray machine at the Dane County Airport in Wisconsin.

TSA told WISN 12 News that the passenger was unaware of the screening protocol and did not tell security officers about her dog.

After an officer explained the proper process and confirmed she disclosed she was travelling with a pet to the airline, she proceeded to her gate.

READ MORE: North-south weather split after warnings of heat, possible snow

TSA Great Lakes confirmed the incident was an accident on social media.

"A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @MSN_Airport this week," it tweeted.

"When travelling with any animal, notify your airline and know their rules.

"At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine."

READ MORE: Sinkhole shuts down major Brisbane road

https://twitter.com/TSA_GreatLakes/status/1600210121136537600

It then uploaded a video showing "the proper way" to travel with pets.

The incident comes mere weeks after a stowaway cat was found inside luggage at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

If it hadn't been for the X-ray alerting officers to the stowaway, the cat would have been on a flight from New York to Florida.

READ MORE: Australia's most Googled searches of 2022

We're almost three full years into the COVID-19 pandemic, but people still have plenty of questions about the disease which has turned the world on its head.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and "the spirit of Ukraine" have been recognised as Time's Person of the Year 2022.

Ukraine's president was awarded the title and the cover of the magazine on Wednesday with the publication applauding the way the 44-year-old had led his country through the invasion by Russia, which was started in February by Vladimir Putin.

The award is handed out to someone "who affected the news or our lives the most, for better, or worse" the magazine has previously said.

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Other contenders for the title of global influence included Elon Musk, the US Supreme Court, China's leader Xi Jinping and protesters in Iran.

"This year's choice was the most clear-cut in memory," Time's editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote in the publication.

"In a world that had come to be defined by its divisiveness, there was a coming together around this cause, around this country that some outside it might not be able to find on a map."

They added the former actor, who stayed to defend his country despite international appeals to evacuate and get to a safe haven, used his knowledge of captivating public interest across headlines and social media.

"Zelensky has been laser-focused on keeping the world's eyes on Ukraine," Felsenthal wrote.

"The former entertainer understood innately that attention is the planet's most valuable currency and all but cornered the global market."

The magazine also praised the individuals who helped exemplify the spirit of the nation and those getting involved to help.

From a famous Ukrainian chef feeding thousands to journalists on the ground risking their lives to share stories along with international medics coming into the war-torn country to assist with aide all getting a mention.