The ‘white-out’ job that let a stranger steal Andrew’s engineering qualification

Barraclough became aware of the fraud in December, when the surveyor – a person responsible for documentation on building projects – contacted his firm with concerns about the structural design of a multi-storey carpark slated for Perth’s CBD.

An Airtasker user had removed Barraclough’s name from his qualifications and inserted his own.

“It looks like something a kindergarten kid’s done a bit of white-out over,” Barraclough said.

“The immediate reaction is just, do you want to ring him up and say, what the hell?”

While the scammer “earning an income off [his] bat” irked Barraclough, he was overwhelmingly concerned about the safety of designs someone without relevant certification had approved.

Beyond the multi-storey carpark, which has since been properly certified, Airtasker reviews show Jacobus has completed more than 40 jobs. While some of the jobs pertain to his professed expertise in resumé writing, research and web development, a Victorian woman who saved for years to build her children a pool will be forced to demolish the decking because its certification is useless.

“She spent money for which she has not received a valid product, and she will need now to go and spend more money to have the matter rectified,” Barraclough said.

‘Christopher was great’

The person bidding for the Airtasker work appeared not to be the person certifying the projects.

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The since-removed Airtasker profile was in the name of Jacobus, with the accompanying phone number connected to someone by the same name in a Queensland town.

“But then there is another gentleman called Christopher Reynolds who, within that same profile, is getting reviews,” Barraclough said.

“‘Christopher was great’, ‘Christopher did our job very quickly’.”

Airtasker requires that users verify their identity with government-issued photo ID, the company said in response to questions.

“[This] is cross-checked with a live biometric scan to ensure authenticity. At Airtasker, trust and safety are our top priorities,” it said.

Questions to numerous emails used by the account received no response.

Airtasker said it “takes all reports of misrepresentation very seriously”, and noted that Barraclough was ultimately satisfied with the company’s response, which Barraclough says improved dramatically after a co-worker with knowledge of board governance contacted the ASX-listed company’s board and audit chairs.

‘I could probably advertise myself as a dermatologist’

Airtasker validates people through their government ID but doesn’t cross-check that licence or passport with their engineering qualifications, Barraclough said.

“They do checks for things like electrical contractors and plumbing contractors. But they don’t do it yet for engineers.

“You can be ID verified in that I am a real person, but then I can advertise myself as anything. I could probably advertise myself as a dermatologist.

“As Joe Public, you go to Airtasker knowing that they should have some, or with some confidence that they’ve already verified these legitimate people.”

Airtasker is “exploring the addition” of verifying those qualifications for engineers, it said.

“We encourage users to verify the necessary qualifications and experience.”

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Further exposing the public to uncertified construction is a loophole where state bodies charged with regulating engineers are unable to discipline or regulate people who are not members, such as Jacobus, but are signing off on buildings.

Correspondence from Board of Professional Engineers Queensland and Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority seen by this masthead shows both organisations were aware of the fraudulent misuse of Barraclough’s qualifications.

None of that appears to have fazed Jacobus, who as recently as February was accepting engineering work for a small Victorian warehouse via WhatsApp.

“At the moment, I’m not very busy. I’m open to receive new tasks,” he said in communications seen by The Sun-Herald.

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