Scrolling on Facebook and spotting a deal for cheap bulk meat delivered to your door might feel like a win, especially with the cost of groceries these days, but it could be a sinister trap.
Earlier this year the WA ScamNet team started hearing from people who paid for bargain-priced bulk meat packs advertised through fake butcher and “farm-to-table” profiles, only to find themselves blocked after sending money via bank transfer. The meat never turned up, and their cash was gone.
Now the scammers have added a new dimension to their cooked scheme. In a final cash grab victims are asked to pay a delivery insurance fee on the day the meat is due to arrive. The scammers may even say the fee will be refunded after delivery.
Meat is a big expense for most households, which makes these too-good-to-be-true offers especially attractive and this scam very successful. Victims can lose anywhere from $200 for a mixed selection of meat, up to nearly $1,000 for a butchered cow.
WA ScamNet suspects more people are being ripped off by these meat scams than is being reported due to losses being “only” a couple hundreds of dollars. But because meat is a staple, even small amounts multiplied across many victims can generate substantial profits for the criminals behind it.
Genuine butchers or farm businesses are being caught up in it too as the scammers steal their names, logos and photos. They’re then left to deal with angry victims asking where the meat is.
The red flags to look out for in posts include claiming bulk meat is delivered “direct from the farm to you” at prices that seem too good to be true. It is illegal to butcher and sell meat directly to consumers without processing through a licensed abattoir due to food safety laws.
Scam pages often lack reviews, likes and comments, fail to list a business address, appear newly created, or show a history of name changes. Check Page Transparency in the About section to see when the page was created and whether it has changed names. This will often reveal a trail that can jump from car parts, to puppies, to meat.
Be wary of any seller demanding bank transfer, especially if multiple accounts are offered, the account name is personal rather than a business, or it does not match the contact person. It’s also worth spending a few minutes reverse image searching the images to check they haven’t been stolen from a real butcher.
If you’ve paid money to a scammer, contact your bank immediately and then report it to WA ScamNet at scamnet.wa.gov.au or 1300 30 40 54. Genuine businesses that are being impersonated by scammers are urged to get in touch as well so fake profiles can be removed quickly.