An Australian country music singer has lashed out at fake scammers pretending to be him to rip off wellwishers donating to the families devastated by the Wellington horror crash.
Former X Factor runner-up Jason Owen issued a desperate warning to fans to be aware of the ‘disgusting’ scammers just days after two brothers were killed in his hometown in Wellington near Dubbo in central NSW on Tuesday.
Sheldon Shorey, 6, and his brother Shane, who would have turned eight on Friday, were walking home from the local pool when they were struck by a Holden sedan allegedly driven by unlicensed driver Jacob Steven Donn, 25.
Their older brother and mother Shayleen Frail, 34, were also injured, as was their friend Mataya Ah See, 10, who will need his leg amputated.
Owen rallied behind the two families and donated $1500 from his charity Doin It for Rural Aussie Kids after hearing about of the tragedy that has rocked his hometown.
Sheldon Shorey (left) and brother Shane (right) were killed when a car ploughed into them as they walked home from the local pool with their mother, brother and their friend on Tuesday
The tragedy of his hometown of Wellington touched the heart of country music singer Jason Owen (pictured with his partner Bec)
He also urged fans to dig deep by donating to the GoFundMe pages set up for each of the families.
The Golden Guitar award nominee has since discovered scammers have used his name to urge well wishers to donate using fake accounts and bank account details.
He labelled the scammers as ‘absolutely disgusting’ and hasn’t ruled out legal action.
‘There are fake scamming accounts pretending to be me asking people to donate money to them and my charity to go to the families involved in the Wellington accident with fake bank accounts,’ Owen posted on social media.
‘You are heartless pathetic humans!! A waste of space!! And if I knew or find out any information on who you are I will happily seek legal action immediately.
‘These families need support and I will stand up for them till it’s resolved so I suggest your crap stops now!’
Jason Owen (pictured) has urged the public to be aware of fake scammers pretending to him
Brothers Sheldon and Shane Shorey (pictured) were killed while walking home from the local pool on Tuesday afternoon
He stressed that neither he or his charity ‘Doin It For Rural Aussie Kids’ were taking donations for the families.
‘Please, if you receive any message from me on a post or in messenger and the profile doesn’t have a certified blue tick then it’s NOT me.’
One woman said she received ‘requests to follow’ from several of the fake accounts.
‘I just ask them questions that can’t be googled (but don’t give them the answers ) then report for impersonation and block them,’ she commented.
Owen, who finished runner-up to Samantha Jade on the 2012 season of the X Factor was gutted by the fake scammers’ actions.
Jason Owen urged people to donate to the GoFundMe pages set up for the families. Pictured is Sheldon and Shane’s devastated dad Joseph at the crash scene the day after they died
A GoFundMe page set up by close friends to help the Shoreys has already exceeded its original goal target and currently stands at almost $26.500.
A separate GoFundMe page to help the Ahsee family and Mataya during his long road to recovery has raised almost $8,500.
Owen also recorded an emotional version of The Climb for the Shorey family as a tribute to Sheldon and Shane, which is accompanied by a heartwarming photo montage of the boys.
‘This one goes out to everyone involved and all our love and best wishes,’ he posted.
Family and friends gathered at the Dubbo pool on Friday to throw Shane the eighth birthday party he’d dreamed of.
Balloons spelling out his name were released into the sky as loved ones blew out candles and sang Happy Birthday to the little boy taken too soon.
The horror crash has rocked the small town of Wellington, which has a population of less than 500. Pictured is a shrine set up for the two boys killed at the scene
The party that never was: Family gather with balloons to celebrate what would have been the 8th birthday of Dubbo horror crash victim – who died alongside his younger brother
A little boy should have been unwrapping presents for his eight birthday on Friday but was instead being farewelled at an emotional party after he was killed in a horror car crash.
Sheldon, six, and Shane Shorey, seven, were killed instantly when a red Holden sedan allegedly driven by unlicensed man Jacob Steven Donn, 25, mounted the kerb and hit them in Wellington in central western NSW on Tuesday.
Their mother, Shayleen Frail, 34, was trapped up against a fence by the Holden, while a 10-year-old family friend Mataya Ah See had his leg ripped apart by the force of the crash.
Family and friends gathered at the Dubbo pool on Friday to throw Shane the party he’d dreamed of as a row of balloons spelling out his name were released into the sky.
No presents were opened but loved ones instead blew out candles and sang Happy Birthday to the little boy taken too soon.
Brothers Sheldon, six, and Shane Shorey, 7, (pictured, left) were killed instantly when a car allegedly driven by Jacob Steven Donn, 25, mounted the gutter and hit them with considerable force in Wellington, NSW on Tuesday
On what should have been Shane’s eight birthday party, his family and friends farewelled the little boy at a local pool in Dubbo on Friday
Family and friends gathered together for an emotional farewell to Shane Shorey who was killed in a horror car crash on Tuesday
In heartwarming footage shared to Facebook, Shane’s father, Joseph Shorey, is seen surrounded by friends and relatives while lighting the candles on his late son’s birthday cake.
There was a brief pause in celebrations as the group sang Happy Birthday while speakers blared some of the little boy’s favourite songs.
Emotions ran high as teary loved ones stood arm in arm to watch Shane’s family release balloons into the sky.
After the horror crash earlier this week, Ms Frail – whose other son miraculously survived the impact – had been in a coma and was unaware her two little boys had died.
On Thursday evening, her friend said the mother had woken from her sedation and was speaking again after having her breathing tube taken out.
Bec Clarke – who said she was by Ms Frail’s bedside in the ICU – told well-wishers that the mother had suffered a punctured lung, fractured knee and a spinal injury.
‘Shayleen says “thank you from the bottom of my broken heart for all your kindness and well wishes”,’ Ms Clarke wrote in a public Facebook post.
Shayleen Frail was trapped up against a fence by the Holden and has issued an emotional first message through a close friend after waking from a coma to hear her two sons had died
The two boys were killed when an out-of-control car ploughed into them as they walked home from the local pool with their mother, brother and their friend on Tuesday afternoon
On Thursday evening, Bec said the mother had woken from her sedation and was speaking again after having her breathing tube taken out
‘At the moment it looks as though there will be no permanent serious injuries. She is not out of the woods yet and has a long recovery ahead of her.’
Ms Clarke said the mum was overwhelmed by donations to a GoFundMe page set up on her behalf which has already raised more than $27,000.
‘She couldn’t believe that so many people, including so many people who she doesn’t know, have donated to the cause.’
Mataya’s family earlier revealed how their little boy would need his leg amputated as a result of the crash.
The 10-year-old’s family were given the heartbreaking news by doctors on Thursday.
‘He hasn’t been himself, he is wanting to see his little mates,’ Mataya’s mother told 7 News.
‘He keeps asking about them.’
Sheldon, 6, and Shane Shorey, 7, were killed instantly while walking home from the local pool in Wellington, near Dubbo, on Wednesday (pictured, left, at a Santa photo with their dad and siblings)
Joseph Shorey (pictured above) remains in disbelief after two of his children died on Tuesday, visiting the scene to see the tributes left by well-wishers
Donn, who allegedly lost control of his girlfriend’s car seconds before the incident while doing burnouts, faced Broken Hill Local Court on Thursday morning, appearing via an audio-visual link from the cells at Dubbo Police Station.
He is facing a total of 14 charges – including death by dangerous driving – and made no application for bail before being taken away by correctional officers until next Tuesday – his next scheduled appearance at Dubbo Local Court.
Following the horror smash, the father of the two dead youngsters, spoke at length about his ‘beautiful boys’ and urged drivers to take more care on the roads.
‘That is not cool, all you young fellas out there doing that (burnouts), it’s not cool, because there are consequences if you do something stupid and wrong,’ Mr Shorey said.
‘Don’t drive around stupid, drive around smart. You want to do donuts go and join a race club and do them there. Don’t do them on the streets.
Jacob Steven Donn, 25, was allegedly behind the wheel of a red Holden sedan when he mounted the gutter on Warne Street in Wellington, in central western NSW, killing brothers Sheldon, 6, and Shane Shorey, 7
Police allege Donn was performing burnouts on Warne Street when he lost control, mounted the gutter and hit the group of five pedestrians
‘Sheldon’s only six, he’ll be seven next month on the 12th. Shane was only seven, he was turning eight on Friday… two more days.’
Mr Shorey had last seen his sons on Monday when they told him they loved him and would see him in just a few weeks upon their return to Queensland.
After being told about the crash by relatives in Wellington, he drove through the night so he could pay tribute to his two boys.
‘I only saw them the day before and they gave me big hugs and cuddles and said: “Dad, we love you, we’ll see you on the 17th”,’ Mr Shorey said.
‘Now I’ve lost my two youngest boys.
‘Sheldon was a little show off, always being like “look at me, look at me”, but he’s a little cutey – all the girls loved him.’
Donn grew up in Wellington and was raised by his great-grandmother Dawn, 91, who took him in when he was just a baby, as his mother – her granddaughter – was unable to care for him.
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