Real estate agent defends bizarre 'scam' marketing ploy accusing Jessica of stealing at an open home

By JOANNA HYNDS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 11:10, 13 August 2026 | Updated: 11:12, 13 August 2026 A controversial marketing ploy by a Melbourne real estate agent has sparked debate online over whether it was a scam or a clever way to draw potential buyers in. The agent sparked an online manhunt for a woman who he said allegedly stole from an open home, naming her directly. 'Jessica Thompson, you stole from our open home. You've left us with no other option,' a post on social media, which included her photo, said.  The post then showed a slideshow of different rooms in the home that, supposedly, Ms Thompson was accused of stealing from, including the living room, kitchen, bathroom and nursery.  But Ms Thompson didn't exist. What soon became apparent to readers was that the manhunt was actually a marketing ploy designed to get people to click through and explore the rooms in the open home.  The estate agent, Brent Day, operates in southeast Melbourne and said the post did exactly that, generating more than 500,000 clicks on social media.  Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, he explained the thinking behind the unusual marketing strategy. 'The idea behind the post was pretty simple. Real estate marketing has become incredibly repetitive, and we wanted to create something that would actually stop people scrolling and get them talking,' he said. The bizarre advert appeared on social media this week  The fake woman was accused of stealing from several rooms in the house  He said the ploy was to develop 'more ways to sell a property with the downturn of the Melbourne real estate market' that he said was driven by the government. Figures from Cotality last month indeed show that property prices have continued to decline in Melbourne. The internet was flooded with comments from users who praised the marketing scheme; however, others struggled to see the appeal. 'This is not good marketing. It's quite disturbing and disgusting, to be honest,' one person said. 'Poor taste when it happens in real life,' another added. 'It was so immediately obvious that the picture of the girl was actually AI,' another person said, unimpressed by the advert. 'This is the best. I was invested!' one person said, praising the ad. 'Marketing at its best,' another wrote.  'Omg, I had never been so intrigued to see what Jessica could have possibly taken,' another added.  The estate agent, Brent Day, said it was a marketing ploy designed to get people talking  Should real estate agents use deception in marketing if it grabs attention but risks trust? What's your view?Mr Day said the high level of engagement on social media resulted in the campaign exceeding their expectations.  'From a marketing perspective, it certainly achieved what we set out to do,' he said. Amir Jahan, who runs A-Class Estate Agents, told Daily Mail that in a crowded industry, agents need to find ways to stand out - and social media is one of the best tools to do so. 'It got a thousand of likes and shares on social media - so many people will have seen this property in just a few hours, rather than they would have in a week of being listed on Domain or realestate.com.au.' 'A lot of agents in this business, to stand out you must be creative and this agent has done just that. It is smart, it gets your attention, and it's unique.' But beyond the clicks, some people have questioned the legality and ethics of using a stunt like this in advertising.  Stephanie Tonkin from the Consumer Action Law Centre said the stunt may not technically breach the law, but could still come under the scrutiny of regulators.  'It really leaves us in a position of what do you trust anymore on the internet? And it feels very scam-adjacent,' she said to 7 News. The ploy was part of a plan to attract more buyers as Melbourne's retail downturn continues   Mr Day acknowledged that the campaign had divided opinion, but defended the strategy. 'Marketing that pushes the boundaries is always going to divide opinion. Some people found it funny and clever, while others thought we'd taken it too far,' he said. As for those calling the campaign a scam, Mr Day disagreed, saying, 'It was a fictional marketing stunt designed to generate attention.'