- Fake shipping container sites scamming WA buyers
- Over $84,000 lost so far in 2025 – nearing last year’s total
- Use secure payment methods and verify sellers before buying
Losses from shipping container scams are rising rapidly across WA in 2025, prompting an urgent warning for consumers to stay vigilant when buying online.
Consumer Protection’s WA ScamNet team has received 15 reports of shipping container scams in 2025, with 12 victims already losing $84,090 – nearly matching the full-year total of $93,493 reported by 18 victims in 2024.
Fortunately, two additional consumers who lodged reports in 2025 had attempted to transfer $4,000 to scammers, but their banks intervened and blocked the payments.
Shipping containers remain in high demand, with consumers using them for storage, transport, and increasingly as the basis for converted living spaces.
Scammers lure their victims with fake marketplace listings or sponsored search results that lead consumers to newly created websites offering bargain deals. To appear legitimate, these sites frequently replicate ABNs and business names from real operators and use addresses linked to genuine container storage facilities, wharfs or ports. Victims are issued invoices and asked to pay via bank transfer, but once payment is made, the container is never delivered and the scammers become unreachable – sometimes stalling with false delivery updates.
WA ScamNet has worked with businesses that have been impersonated to shut down many fake websites and social media pages, yet scammers persist in launching new ones.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake said while scammers are becoming more sophisticated in covering their tracks, there were still key red flags to watch for and practical ways consumers could protect their money.
“Even the most cautious consumers can be deceived by scammers who replicate legitimate business details to make fake websites and invoices appear credible,” Ms Blake said.
“They’ll even book a fake delivery for more than a week ahead – not to fulfil the order, but to buy time to move the funds, making recovery far more difficult.
“We want consumers to be wary of containers advertised well below market value and sellers who insist on bank transfer as the only payment option. These are clear red flags that should prompt closer scrutiny before handing over any money.”
Ms Blake urged consumers to stay alert and carry out some essential checks before parting with any funds.
“Research the business using publicly listed contact details and verify the address. If you can’t inspect the container in person, use Google Maps to confirm the location and, where possible, speak to nearby businesses,” the Commissioner said.
“Don’t rely on ABN details alone – use the ICANN registration data look-up tool to check out who registered the domain and how long the site’s been running, and steer clear of new websites that hide this information.
“A reverse image search can help identify stolen photos, and on social media, tools like Facebook’s ‘Page Transparency’ can reveal if the page is new or has changed names, which are telltale signs of a scam”.
Consumers who have experienced financial loss are urged to contact their bank or financial institution immediately. Those concerned their personal information or identity have been obtained by scammers can contact ID Care on 1800 595 160 or visit www.idcare.org for assistance.
More information about scams – including how to report one – is available on the WA ScamNet website. For enquiries, call 1300 30 40 54 or email consumer@lgirs.wa.gov.au
Media Contact: cpmedia@lgirs.wa.gov.au