NSW Fair Trading Issues Warning on ‘Ghost Store’ Allegedly Using Bondi Attack for Scams

The NSW Fair Trading has issued a public warning on Isla & James, an online fashion retailer that is now being called a “ghost store.”

The brand is being accused of using the Bondi terror attack to lure unknowing victims into scams.

Is Isla & James Real?

The NSW government’s public warning says, “A preliminary investigation conducted by NSW Fair Trading has determined that Isla & James has advertised a ‘Closure Sale’ citing the Bondi Beach terrorist attack as the reason for the closure, claiming that one of the cofounders, James, ‘was shot’ in the terrorist attack.”

According to ABC News, Isla & James is allegedly using the attack to earn profit and even made false claims that the business is located in Bondi Beach.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann has now claimed that Isla & James is actually a “ghost store operating from overseas.”

“We think they’re using the Bondi Beach terror attack to really try and exploit the grief of our community to try and profiteer,” Mann added.

The public warning has noted that the website has since been taken down.

The Bondi Terror Attack

It has been a month since the shooting at Bondi Beach occurred, which was carried out by the father-and-son duo Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram.

The duo claimed the lives of 15 innocent people who were out to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Sajid was eventually shot dead by the police, and his son has been taken into custody.

According to a report by The Guardian, a prayer hall linked to Naveed has recently closed down. The prayer hall is also associated to Wisam Haddad, who is said to lead a Dawah preaching movement that the younger Akram followed.

Haddad was issued “cease use” directive by the Canterbury Bankstown council last month.