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Foxy Female Con Artist Busted By Facebook Sting

MANHATTAN BEACH (CBS) — An unlikely con artist is under arrest after a Lancaster woman she ripped off helped police find her through Facebook.

Stephanie Younger says the woman she knew as Gia Hendricks came across as chic and wealthy. She claimed to be looking for an assistant to attend Hollywood events for her modeling agency.

"She had a couple of designers that she was wearing," says Younger. "Anyone would have been fooled."

Younger took the job and gave Hendricks her bank account information for payroll purposes. Hendricks issued Younger paychecks and asked her to withdraw surplus amounts. The checks bounced and Hendricks disappeared.

After finding information posted online by other victims, Younger created a Facebook profile and set up her own sting operation to help cops bust Hendricks.

A joint investigation between Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach police resulted in the arrest Tuesday of the 40-year-old woman. She is charged with fraud, forgery, and identity theft.

"It relieves me a lot," says Younger. "Because I know she's not doing it to other people."

Police say Gia Hendricks is just one of many aliases used by Maria Christina Johnson. She is wanted in Washington and Oregon for similar crimes.

Investigators ask anyone with information that could help this case to contact the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

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