An unemployed woman devised a scam to cheat through social media networking site Facebook to cover her personal expenses. Between March 2011 and January this year, Nora Jubpre pocketed $13,290 from 47 victims who believed they were buying popular items such as Kate Spade and Coach handbags and wallets. She pleaded guilty to cheating and was sentenced to six months in jail on Monday.

She posted pictures of the items on her Facebook page and offered the items for sale at extremely attractive prices. On one occasion, a victim thought she was buying three handbags, a wallet and a T-shirt, all of which were Kate Spade items, for $520.

Once the payments were transferred to her bank account, Nora would change her Facebook profile name to prevent the victims from detecting her whereabouts. Her profile names included Kate Spade Shoppz, Momo Factory Baggs, Bagday Authentic, and LuzBagz D Store.

Pleading for leniency, Nora, who did not have a lawyer, said that she was a single mother with a seven-year-old daughter and she needed the money. Assistant Public Prosecutor Charlene Yang said that Nora had used the Internet to target victims and to "remain elusive and undetectable" for nearly two years. District Judge Salina Ishak agreed with the prosecutor that there was "planning and deliberation" in the offences and a six-month jail term would be appropriate.